The Accomplice in the Story
by MilkMamaReturns
Summary: A Gravedigger story--sums up the Gravedigger plot when Heather Tafett has an accomplice. On top of that, I give everyone a little fluff. B/C as Supreme Overlord Author, I get to do that! Ha!
1. Chapter 1

Booth ran through the airport. After a few steps, he glanced at his watch. He stopped a man on his cell phone by grabbing his sleeve as he passed. "Hey, buddy, you know what time the flight to Brazil leaves?"

The man gave him a blank look and pointed to the arrivals board.

"Thanks," Booth breathed. He ran to the arrivals board, but his steps slowed as he recognized the couple standing next to it. "Angela? Hodgins?"

Angela smiled, "Hi, Booth. Did do a little badge-flashing to get past baggage check?"

Booth gave her a confused look, eyes narrowing.

"What? Did you miss Brennan's flight?"

"Oh, dude. Wife's gonna be pissed," Hodgins laughed. The look on Booth's face told him he was not in a playing mood. "Sorry," he quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry, Booth. Didn't Brennan tell you what time her flight left?"

"Yeah," Booth said. He pulled a yellow Post-It from his pocket. "Six-fifteen. She... " _She wrote it down herself._

Angela's face became sympathetic. "Oh. It--It left at five, Booth. I don't know why she told you the wrong time--"

"Sorry, man," Hodgins said. "Look, we're about to go out to dinner with Cam and a bunch of lab rats before we all split up for the summer. Wanna come? It's at the bar, so--"

Booth shook his head. "No... It's--It's alright. I'm--I've got things to do anyway."

"Booth..." Angela attempted to console him.

Booth shook his head and pretended to shake it off. "It's no big deal. I just must've misheard, that's all. I'll-- see you guys later, huh?"

He turned away, trying to hide a look of hurt on his face, but his shoulders slumped as he turned his back.

When he was out of ear-shot, Angela whispered, "Something happened."

"Like they slept together or something?"

"I was afraid this would happen if they hooked up."

"You have the heart of an angel," Hodgins whispered, kissing her cheek.

---

_96 Hours Earlier_

Angela knocked at Brennan's door. "Hey, sweetie."

"Hey, Ange," Brennan replied, not looking up from her work.

"Finishing up on your notes? I'm surprised that the judge didn't throw out your testimony. What, with the stealing of bodies and breaking of federal laws--"

Brennan glanced up for a second. "Perhaps there was something substantial to the fact that Jared was willing to lose his job and we all risked our lives to save Booth."

"Either way, I'm glad that this whole fiasco's about to be put behind us." Angela walked over and sat on Brennan's desk. "When does your flight leave?"

"Um... Friday." Brennan finished writing and looked up. "Why?"

"Well, I kinda wanna see you lift off, Bren. You know, say good-bye?"

"Oh. Well, I'll write it down for you so you can be there on time." Brennan stood and walked over to Angela.

"I'll miss you, sweetie. I hate that you feel like you have to run off to the other side of the world whenever summer comes around. Next year, you're staying here in DC and we're going to actually spend time together. Go shopping, hang out. Hodgins has this great beach house in Martha's Vineyard."

Brennan smiled. "That sounds lovely, Ange, but this year I've already committed to helping out the local government in Brasília."

"You are quite the wild woman, Bren."

Brennan rolled her eyes. "There aren't that many Forensic Anthropologists; my skills are a sought-after commodity. This is important, Angela. "

"And hanging with the woman you consider your best friend isn't? C'mon, sweetie, take a _breath_, take a _break_. It wouldn't hurt you to rest a little--relax."

"I'll relax when Heather Tafett serving her sentence and I've finished identifying the Brasílian bodies. After _that_, is when I plan to relax."

"Please tell me that you're not going to come home and start identifying Korean War mummies. That's not relaxation. Relaxation is sitting on a beach, soaking up the golden rays of South Pacific and admiring a pool boy wearing nothing but a Speedo. That's relaxation. Not death. Take my word for it, sweetie."

"Actually, I plan on renting a cabin for the week before we come back, then I'm going to start doing the thing that I love most-- solving crimes with Booth, because that's what I do and that's what I find relaxing."

"Fine. As long as you find a lonely fisherman at the cabin and/or a stranded hiker. Preferably one with hypothermia."

Booth popped his head into the room. "Ready, Bones?"

"Well, I'll just see you guys at the courthouse. Hodgins and I are gonna have a quickie, then we'll go put that grave-digging bitch behind bars." Angela walked out of the room.

"Lunch?" Booth asked.

"Of course." Brennan replied. She stood and put her jacket on.

------------------------------

This will be more of a casey-type of fic, but I just had to write it. I couldn't help myself!!!


	2. Chapter 2

"Well, I suppose I'm supposed to just sit here and watch you two yack," Caroline Julian said as she walked up to Booth and Brennan. The pair were sitting on a bench outside of the courtroom.

"Same side. Prosecution," Booth grinned.

"I know. I just felt like being nosy. And don't you correct me. I could be your mother-- well, your mother's younger sister." She walked up to them and gestured at the bench. "Move over, _cherie_. I gotta get a load off."

The two moved over.

At that moment, Jared was being escorted up the hallway by an armed officer.

"Excuse us, Ms. Julian," Brennan said, standing.

Booth stood, too, and they walked up to Jared. For a moment, the two men stood with about a foot of tile between them. Then, Booth wrapped his arms around his brother and hugged him tightly.

"Seeley, you keep hugging me like that, some of these guys might get the wrong idea."

He grinned and released his brother. "How's it goin?"

"Which part? The sharing a toilet with five other men or not getting to see the sun?"

"Look, I'm--"

"I'm joking, Seeley. It was worth it." He smiled, then he looked at Brennan.

Brennan leaned close and kissed his cheek. "Hi, Jared." A mixture of thanks and apology marked her face.

"Hey, Tempe."

"We should get going," the officer said and began to lead Jared away.

When Jared was out of sight, Booth's face cracked. "Dammit."

"What?"

"What kind of irony is this, Bones? I try my whole life to make sure he turns out OK and now he's-- because of me."

"This is different, Booth. Jared is in prison for doing something that saved your life. And it wasn't your fault. If you should blame anyone, you should blame Heather Tafett. She's the one who ambushed you and put you in that ship, not you--although technically it would be impossible for you to do that to yourself."

"You know, Bones, there are a lot of things that have warped my idea of impossible."

Brennan gave him a curious look.

"Like the fact that I have no idea how a one-hundred and fifty pound, five foot seven inch woman could ambush me and drag me out of a window, stuff me in a yellow submarine and not be seen doing any of it. Not to mention, how the hell could she have dragged both you and Hodg..." He stopped mid-thought. "Did we ever find out how Vega died?"

"Cardiac failure. She held the taser directly above his heart."

"No, I mean--why?"

"Tafett's refused to say anything on that front, you know that." She studied his face. "What are you thinking?"

"I don't... know."

"Court will convene in five minutes," a man's voice echoed into the foyer.

Cam, Hodgins and Angela walked up to Brennan and Booth.

One look at Booth's face and Cam asked, "Are we interrupting anything?"

"What? No, no interrupting," Booth said.

"Booth doesn't think it makes sense," Brennan said.

"What doesn't make sense?" Cam asked.

"Heather Tafett being the Gravedigger."

"No. I didn't say that, Bones."

"But you--"

"I said that there are holes, Bones. I didn't say she wasn't the Gravedigger."

"What holes?" Angela asked.

"Dude, I'm so glad that someone else has been thinking about this. I thought it was just me being paranoid, but there are a lot of gaps."

"Mind filling us in?" Angela said.

"Well," he looked at Booth. "What are your stats? Weight, height."

"Six-one, one-ninety."

"Exactly. And I'm not exactly huge, but I still out-weigh Tafett. Even Brennan's a lot taller than her."

"What? You think Tafett's not the Gravedigger? What about all of the evidence?" Cam asked.

"I'm not saying that she's not the Gravedigger, I'm saying that it couldn't have been just her. She dragged Booth out of a window and onto a ship. She buried me and Brennan in car. And she did the same thing to a dozen others. All alone? It doesn't make sense. Sure, the evidence points to her, but there's gotta be another, right?"

"What are we talking about?" Sweets asked. He had slipped into the group unnoticed.

"Thank God you're here, I'm lost in these conspiracy theories." Angela said.

"They're not conspiracy theories, Angela. It's a simple matter of facts adding up to a logical conclusion." Brennan replied.

Booth began to grin. "You would've never said anything like that back in the day, Bones."

"You've had an effect on my abilities to deduce."

"What's going on?" Sweets was still lost.

"Tafett wasn't alone, man." Hodgins said.

"You all are treading a fine line of theories," Caroline said. She had been sitting and observing until that moment. "You need to have more than a hunch when it comes to the law. Aren't you all a bunch of geniuses?"

"I've never claimed genius-dom," Angela corrected.

"Me, neither," Booth said.

"Doesn't matter, _cher_. You have Tafett shakin' in her booties in cell block nine. Do you really wanna risk suspending the trial over a funny feeling?"

"If there's someone else responsible for these crimes, then we should investigate it, right?" Brennan asked. "Aren't we all seeking justice here?"

"Well, I don't know 'bout you, but I'm seeking the death penalty. Don't go snooping where your noses don't belong. If you get some actual flesh-and-blood evidence, then we can talk. Until then, Tafett's gonna keep her head on the block." Caroline shook her head and walked away from the group.

"What do you think, Dr. Sweets?" Cam asked.

"The original profile suggested male."

"What about _your _profile?" Booth asked.

"I assumed it could be either or, but these things aren't a hundred percent. It's just an educated hypothesis, really."

Brennan rolled her eyes.

"That would explain some things, actually," Hodgins said. All eyes went to him. "The conflicting profiles. The fact that the Gravedigger did things differently this last time--there's more than one, man. You were profiling _two people_, not one."

"It's not like a mixed-up DNA sequence, Dr. Hodgins," Sweets began.

"However," Booth prompted.

"However, when I profiled this guy, I did say that it was possible that there was an accomplice of some sort--a protege of sorts."

"OK," Booth said. "You guys stall--ask for a lunch break or something--"

"You can't ask for a break two minutes into the trial," Sweets said.

"Well, figure something out, OK? In the meantime, we need to have a little chat with Tafett, maybe smack her around a little."

"Oh! Can I come?" Brennan asked, sounding a little too excited.

"Of course, Bones, who else would I mean by 'we'?"

The two of them walked away.

"Caroline's not gonna like this," Cam said.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hell no," Caroline snapped.

"It's just for a minute." Cam crossed her arms.

"It takes sixty seconds to interrogate a suspect?" She asked sarcastically, a brow tipping.

"Not exactly."

"Then you will not exactly suspend this trial and you will not exactly lie to Judge Haddos. This isn't a circus, _cherie_. We don't go pulling people around by their nostrils. There are proper channels for these things. You can go back and tell Agent Booth no way no how."

"Well, it's a little too late for that now."

"Excuse me?"

"Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth are interrogating Tafett as we speak."

"You and your brain posse are gonna get me into a world of trouble. I don't know why I put up with this," Caroline muttered. "Goin' aroun', bossin' people, tellin' me what to do. This is supposed to be my weekend off. Next weekend I quit. See what you can do without me for while--" She sighed. "I'll go talk to Haddos. Y'all owe me, _cherie_." She disappeared into the courtroom.

Angela walked up to Cam. "How'd it go?"

"I don't know. Do I have bite marks on my head?"

"Just a couple. A little cover-up should take care of that," Angela teased.

"We've gotta get that evidence. Get Hodgins and Sweets. Maybe give Perotta a call."

"I don't know, Cam. I don't really trust Agent Bimbo."

"Hey, Booth trusts her. If he trusts her then that's good enough for me. Just don't ask me to like her."

---

"Do you have an angle of attack?" Brennan asked. They were standing outside of a private room in the courthouse. Inside, Tafett complete with orange jumpsuit was waiting to be interrogated.

"I don't know, Bones. I didn't exactly expect to be doing this." He looked at her. "You got a plan?"

"Me?"

"You're the spontaneous one."

She fought back the impulse to blush. Then two things came to mind: One, a smart-ass comment. And two, a flirtatious comment. Before she could stop herself, she replied, "You only know that because I told you."

_Did she just...?_ "Uh... how 'bout we go talk to Tafett. Just follow my lead."

"I think we should bring Sweets in with us." Brennan nodded at the man down the hall. "He was quite helpful when we were interrogating Tafett before--although he wasn't nearly as aggressive as I'd like." She took out her cell and began texting Sweets.

"That's why I'm here, Bones."

"Why?" She looked up.

"I can be very aggressive at times." He grinned at her.

Brennan's eyes fell to the floor. _Did he just...?_ She tucked her hair behind her ear. "That's good. We need that balance."

Booth nodded and shook it off. Brennan never got it when he was flirting with her. Nothing new. He nodded at Sweets as he walked up the hallway, hands in pockets, suit jacket open.

"Where's Tafett?"

Booth nodded at the door. "We were waiting for you."

Angela walked up behind them. "I'm finished hooking up everything. I should get a clear recording of the interview."

"Alright... let's do this," Booth said, putting a hand on the door handle.

They walked into the room. Tafett was sitting, cuffed to a wooden chair. She stared coldly at the three as they walked into the room.

"I hope you know how many federal laws are being broken, Agent Booth," her lawyer, a short husky man said.

"We're just talking. Keep your shirt on, Brink." Booth turned to Sweets for a little input.

Sweets shook his head.

Booth narrowed his eyes, then stepped closer.

"It won't do you any good, Agent Booth. She knows how to shut herself down. She's basically impermeable to your accosts."

"We'll see about that." Booth turned and looked at Brennan. "Bones, you wanna hit her?"

"Yes."

"You will not lay a hand on my client," the lawyer spat.

"Damn lawyers," Booth muttered. He looked at Sweets again.

"I don't know. Go for the aggression, I guess."

Booth shrugged and crossed the room quickly. "Who's your accomplice?"

Tafett just stared at him.

"We know you weren't alone," Brennan said.

"If you're suggesting that I'd put the blame on anyone else, you're very wrong, detectives." She was unnervingly cool.

"She's proud of what she's done," Sweets said. "She won't admit to having a partner. She loves the attention."

Booth looked at Tafett again. "It doesn't matter what she says or doesn't say, Sweets. We know that she wasn't alone."

"Why did you kill Thomas Vega?" Brennan said.

"You've asked those questions before," Sweets pointed out. "And all to no avail."

"You're not exactly being helpful here, Sweets." Booth growled, eyes still trained on Tafett. "I see that your eye's still a little messed up from what my partner did to you. I can assure you that there can and will be a repeat of that if you do not give me a name."

Still no reply.

"Was Vega your accomplice?" Booth asked.

Still no reply.

"What do you think, Bones? Is it possible?"

"It's impossible to pinpoint the minute that Vega died. He was killed in and around the time she called my cell."

"It's more than possible," Sweets said.

"Either way, Tafett, we'll have a hot needle in your arm by the close of this decade. I will appear at every indictment, every rehashing, every appeal. You will die and I will be front row center."

That was when the first emotion twisted Tafett's features. For a second, she swallowed and her eyes grew large with fear. Just a second. Then she was back to cold stoicism.

Brennan grabbed Booth's arm and dragged him into the hallway, closing the door behind them. "What worked last time was being able to present evidence to Tafett. That's when she began to break. Of course by then we didn't need to continue interrogating her, but I think that's what we need. Solid statistics and facts."

"Like what, Bones? We tore her place apart."

"No, you didn't tear her place apart. FBI forensics did."

"Point being...?"

"The point is, Booth, that they may have come across that piece of evidence that would lead you or me to the accomplice, but them not seeing it in context may have caused them to overlook it altogether. It may have been just another phone number, just another first name, just another photo..."

"Good point, Bones. You know, I think you're onto something."

Cam walked up to them. "Well, I bought us some time. Not a lot of time, but some time."

"How much time?" Booth asked.

"Forty-eight hours to present compelling evidence that Tafett didn't work alone. And if we figure out who it is, then we can get another twenty-four. Otherwise, no go."

Booth mouthed the F-bomb.

"We'll take it. We have to," Brennan said.

"Alright. Let's get everyone together. I'll get the contents of Tafett's apartment shipped to the Jeffersonian." He flipped his phone out of his pocket, pressing it to his ear.

* * *

_I'm glad you're all enjoying it so far! :D_


	4. Chapter 4

Hodgins leaned close to Angela and stole several kisses, one after the other.

She pushed him back. "This really isn't the time, Jack."

"I just wanted to relive the moment, Ange."

She laughed.

"Hey, does anyone know?"

"I told Brennan."

"Really?"

"She noticed that I was wearing the same skirt two days in a row. Besides, it's only a matter of time before Booth and Cam find out." She looked back down at sheet of paper with hand-written wording on her desk. "Does this look like an 'S' or a '5' to you?"

Hodgins leaned over her shoulder. "Looks like an 'S'. Why do you say it's only a matter of time?"

"Well, besides the fact that you keep doing stuff like kissing me when we're at work? I always smell like sex any more."

"What?" Hodgins grinned.

She looked up at him. "Haven't you noticed that people smell like sex when they're getting some?"

"What, exactly, does sex smell like?"

"I don't know. Sweat, certain--bodily fluids, horniness..."

"Wow. You are always full of useful information like this, Ange."

"I may not be a genius on paper, but the guys that were in my college dorm thought I was one."

Hodgins kissed her forehead. "For future reference, that's a little TMI." He stole another kiss. "I love you by the way."

"I love you, too."

Angela watched as Hodgins walked out of her office, then she turned her attention back to the paper.

Cam walked in. "Anything?"

"Well--" Angela flipped through a stack of papers. "Twelve shopping lists, six Post-Its, and nine sheets of notebook paper, torn."

"Wait, twelve shopping lists?"

"Talk about super-organized, right? Basically nothing really suspicious, but this diary--" Angela pulled it from the stacks and opened it to a page that was book-marked. "THTSSJQQ YJS YMZWX. Some sort of code. I haven't found anything else with this code, but I'm feeding it through a deciphering program."

"Any luck?"

"No. Still running it. How about you? Any luck?"

"Approximately a hundred and thirty boxes and time's ticking away." Cam sat next to Angela. "Don't tell Booth, but I feel like we're shooting in the dark here."

"I totally understand. I mean, Booth, Bren and Hodgins have this personal vendetta against the Gravedigger. I mean, what if Tafett is it and that just freaks them out, knowing that the story ends there."

"The thing that worries me is that we could be just delaying Tafett's case. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Tafett hauled everyone to their graves. What if this is what she wants? To delay everything?"

"So she made everything look a little impossible for a single woman to do by her lonesome?"

"Exactly," Cam said. "If I were a psychopath serial kidnapper, I'd try my damndest to make it look like it wasn't my fault."

----

"Do you remember anything before you were tased?" Booth asked Brennan, keeping his eyes on the road.

"I was drugged, Booth. I don't really remember anything." She looked over at her partner. "You?"

"Last thing I remember is talking to you on the phone."

"We talked for a while."

"Hm?"

"I mean, do you remember the beginning of the conversation or the end? What do you remember saying last?"

Booth smiled. "I remember saying that I bet you looked beautiful."

An awkward silence began to grow.

"Then... you remember the end of the conversation. After that you heard a knock at the door so you hung up."

"How about you, Bones? What was the last thing you remember?"

"I remember my reflection."

"I'm sorry?"

"I remember looking at my reflection in the window of my car door. And that was it." She looked at Booth. "Hodgins remembers much less. But that's probably due to the injuries he sustained."

Without thinking, he reached up and touched the back of his neck.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Uh... no."

She reached up and touched the spot. Scar tissue was beginning to build over the burns.

Booth sucked in air. "Ow, Bones." He reached up and grabbed her hand, pulling it to his side and trapping it.

"You said it didn't hurt."

"Well, I lied."

"That isn't rational."

"It is rational, Bones. I just didn't want you to worry."

Brennan pulled her hand out from under his as they pulled up to 108 Arlington.

* * *

_I'm glad you're all enjoying it! :D_


	5. Chapter 5

Sweets walked into the Ookey Room and immediately found the man he was looking for. "Dr. Hodgins."

"I'm not looking up, Sweets. I'm deep in concentration." He still felt the young doctor's eyes boring into his head. "What do you want?" He sighed and looked up.

"Just wondering how I can help."

"You can help by not staring at me. Don't you have work to do?"

"Not really. I've just been going over my notes from assessing Tafett."

That got Hodgins' attention. "You assessed Tafett?"

"You didn't know that?"

"I know everything there is to know about the Gravedigger. It doesn't surprise me that the FBI is concealing information pertaining to the case. What'd you find out?'

"That's confidential."

"Then why'd you bring it up?"

"Just making lively conversation."

"Save your conversations, Sweets. Why are you here?"

"Looks like you don't have a lot to work with." Sweets looked over Hodgins' work station.

"Yeah, Tafett blew up everything I'd been working to collect over the past two years. Bastard."

"I've noticed that you tend to suppress your rage."

"What? You want me to blow this place up?"

"Would you do that?"

"Stuff it, Sweets. I wouldn't actually do that. And besides, Tafett didn't get _everything _we had."

"Really?"

Hodgins grinned, squatted, and brought a brown box with a brown lid from beneath the stainless steel table and set it on top.

Sweets moved a little closer.

Hodgins opened the box and brought out several large zip-lock plastic bags and set them on the table top.

"What's that?"

"The clothing of every Gravedigger victim complete with bugs and particulates. This, my friend, is a gold mine. Every little bit counts when psychos like Tafett go around burning things all to hell."

"Is your clothing in there?"

"One of my favorite shirts, man. I had to go out and buy a duplicate." He brought out the several bags. "Kent boys," he slapped the bags on the table. "My clothes. Brennan's clothes. Booth's tux--well, what's left of it." He looked up. "And there are about five more boxes like this. That scum-sucking bitch was busy."

Sweets studied him for a moment. "Would it be inaccurate to say that you hold an unhealthy grudge?"

"She attacked me, Sweets. She tased me, ran me over, drugged me and stole any chance that I'll ever get to sleep a full night without feeling like I'm back in that car. Am I mad? Do I hold a grudge? Do I want her to rot in prison? You better believe it."

"It's interesting how you keep referring to 'you' going through all of these things, as if Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth hadn't gone through those things, either."

Hodgins began to pull clothing from a bag, a little forcefully. "Excuse me for feeling a little selfish, Sweets. But you've never gone through anything like that. You've never been afraid to fall asleep at night. You've never known what it was like to relive those vivid memories every night--you want to run, but your feet are glued to the ground--" Hodgins yanked a jacket from a bag. A white sheet of paper slipped to the table.

"Actually, I do..."

Hodgins realized that Sweets was talking about his childhood. "Look--I'm sorry, man--but..."

"It's alright."

"Nah. It was stupid... I guess I just don't know how to-- I dunno."

"What's that?" Sweets looked at the paper that had fallen to the table.

"Well, let's see--" Hodgins opened the little note with gloved hands. "Oh."

"Oh what?"

Memories of that time spent in the car. The moments before the explosion. The letter to Angela.

"It's just something I wrote Angie before we blew out the windshield."

Sweets moved so that he could read it over his shoulder.

_My Love, _

_My greatest fear is that I will never get to tell you this in person. I'm in love with you, Angela. Crazy in love. Six-personalities-crazy. I just hope I can tell you face-to-face._

_Jack_

"That was before you told her you loved her?"

"I was so in love with her--still am, always have been." He smiled at the note. "I've got an idea. I'm gonna scan it and give it to Angie."

"Sounds like a plan."

"You know what's been killing me, Sweets?"

"That you haven't shown her this note?"

"No. Stay on track, dude. What's been killing me is that Dr. B wrote a letter of her own when we were down there. Wonder what it said."

"Is it--is it in her jacket or something?"

"Only one way to find out." Hodgins set the letter to Angela aside and shuffled through the bags until he came to the one marked 'T. Brennan'. He unzipped it and slid the jacket onto the table.

"She's a righty, correct? I'd check the right pocket first."

Hodgins nodded and slid his hand into the pocket, then produced a white sheet of paper with a torn edge. On one side, it said: _Special thanks to my partner and friend Special Agent Seeley Booth. And thanks to all of my friends and colleagues of the Jeffersonian Medico-Legal Lab._

Hodgins flipped it over. Sweets moved closer.

Together, their eyes skimmed it.

"No surprise there," Hodgins said.

"What? This is huge, Dr. Hodgins. Freaking _bigger than_ huge. Dr. Brennan doesn't just go around saying stuff like that--in fact, she never does. We should show this to Agent Booth, shouldn't we?"

"Woah, slow down there, Casanova. We aren't going to do any of that."

"You're right. I guess the psychologist in me got sidelined there for a sec."

Hodgins grinned and put the note with Angela's. "Patience, my good man. All things happen eventually."

* * *

_Thanks!!!_


	6. Chapter 6

"Can I get you anything to drink? I've got... tea, milk, water?"

"Tea would be nice, thank you," Brennan replied.

Booth gave her a look.

"What? Ms. Russell asked. I simply responded with a truthful answer."

"It's no trouble, really," the woman said. She was in her forties and had kind brown eyes and soft fawn-colored hair. She walked out of the room, leaving the partners alone.

"I just want to get this whole thing out of the way," Booth said, sitting back against the sofa beside Brennan. For a moment, he looked his partner over.

She looked back at him and he quickly looked at the wall. "Did you want anything?"

"Nah. Not thirsty."

"In Turkish culture, it's considered rude to refuse an offer of tea."

"Thank God we're not in Turkey, then."

Ms. Russell returned with two cups of tea. She sat one on the coffee table in front of each of her guests.

"Oh, I didn't ask for any," Booth said.

"Oh. I figured that you only said that so as to not inconvenience me, Agent Booth."

"It's OK--"

"I offered," she snapped.

Brennan gave Booth a triumphant look.

Booth laid on a charming smile. "Thank you, Amelia. It smells great."

"Of course. It's my own blend. Chamomile, lavender, and a handful of secret ingredients."

Brennan took a sip. "Mm... It's good."

Ms. Russell smiled. "No, how can I help you?"

"I'm sure you've heard about Ms. Tafett?"

She nodded. "Heather. Yeah. Unfortunately."

"How well did you know her?"

"Well, not as much as I'd like--"

"What? Romantically?" Brennan asked.

The woman laughed. "Lord, no. What I meant is that I wanted to be her friend. She always took to being by herself and she refused practically everyone's company. I pitied her, I guess. Everyone should have at least one good friend. At least one person who you can confide in."

"How much did she confide in you?" Booth asked.

"Honestly? I think I remember at least one conversation. We talked about the weather or something along those lines."

"Do you know if she had any other friends? Or any colleagues that she talked to?"

"She had lunch once a month with someone. I figured it was a lover of some sort, but she never told me who it was. She was so secretive."

---

"I can't imagine someone living their life without a single person to share their thoughts or interests with."

Booth looked over at his partner. "You were kinda like that before we were partnered."

Brennan looked at him. "I was not."

"Were, too."

"You can't prove that."

"Can, too. You were that type, Bones. You lived and breathed for that lab."

Brennan glared at him. "I had a life, Booth. It was a very interesting life, mind you."

"Let's see, Bones. Monday through Friday was spent at the lab. Saturdays you worked off the clock. Sundays you worked some more. Am I missing anything, Bones?"

"I dated."

"Pete, the loser who cheated on you?"

"He wasn't a loser, Booth."

He took this in for a moment. "Any man who's willing to lose you like that--That's not only completely stupid, but it makes him a loser. And it probably qualifies him for disability in at least ten states."

She was silent for a second. "You're right, Booth. He was a loser."

"I know I'm right." He looked over and smiled one of those smiles that could disrupt traffic.

"Who do you confide in?"

"Huh?"

"Well, I assume that you have a lot of friends outside of work, right? After all, you just went on to describe how insignificant and lab-based my life was before you. So, I assume that you have a whole trove of men you go drinking with after hours."

He shrugged. "Turns out that most of my friends I've made are at work. It's one of the side-effects of working these kinds of hours."

"I understand, although you just made a hypocrite of yourself. You didn't answer my question, Booth. Who do you confide in?"

He smiled, then looked at her again. "You, Bones. I confide in you."

Brennan looked confused. "You don't have a male who you've bonded with emotionally to share your secrets and conquests with?"

He shook his head. "I work twelve hour days, Bones. I confide in you." He looked at her. "_You're_ my best friend, Bones."

"But--we're so different."

"But we have common ground, Bones. We may be different, but we understand each other. _That's_ our common ground."

She nodded. "I agree."

"You agree, what?" He smiled slyly.

"I agree that I count you among my best friends."

"Friend_s_?" He emphasized the plural.

"Well--technically, it's just you and Angela who I count--of course I have _plenty _of friends, but you and Angela are definitely among my best friends. I _do _have friends, though, Booth. I'm _not _a hermit."

Booth laughed. "Never said you were, Bones."

* * *

_Thanks for all of the comments!!!_

_--"Mama"  
_


	7. Chapter 7

"How much time do we have on that?" Cam asked Angela.

"Quite a while, still."

"Really?"

"I found some more documents with the same code. The good thing is that it'll be easier for the computer to interpret, but the bad thing is that it'll take longer." Angela stood up. "I need to stretch."

"That's why I came in here. I'm sick of digging through knickknacks."

"I'll walk with you, Cam. We'll grab some coffee from the lounge."

"Coffee," Cam breathed.

"I know what you mean. I have a feeling tonight's gonna be a long one."

The women walked into the lab just as a pretty blond agent walked in holding her badge up.

"Can I help you, Agent Perotta?" Cam asked.

"This facility needs to be shut down immediately... please."

"Why?" Hodgins asked, taking his gloves off and walking off from the platform.

"The FBI got word of a bomb threat at the Jeffersonian--particularly, this lab."

"A bomb threat?"

"This facility is a crucial player for the FBI in terms of solving cases. Therefore, _you _are important as well. The Deputy Director himself sent me and the bomb squad over. In the meantime, I'd like you all to vacate this lab."

"There'll be no vacating, Special Agent Perotta," Hodgins said.

"Oh, yes there will. That's why I'm here."

"Don't you see that Tafett's accomplice is staging a bomb threat so we can't do our job and put him behind bars?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm here to do my job just as much as you are, Dr. Hodgins. And you can all get back to work once the bomb squad's gone over the facility."

"Well, how long will that take?" Cam asked.

"I'm not on the bomb squad, Dr. Saroyan."

"Give us an estimate--ballpark figure," Hodgins prompted.

"Well, considering the size and expense of the facility, I'd say you won't be allowed back in until morning. I'll contact Dr. Saroyan once the bomb squad has finished."

"Perotta?" Booth asked, walking through the doors with Brennan beside him.

"Agent Booth."

"Special," he corrected her, sounding a little flirtatious.

Perotta smiled.

"What are you here for? You know where my office is."

Angela and Cam exchanged glances.

"This isn't a social call, actually. Cullen sent me here to clear the facility. There's been a bomb threat."

"Huh. Figured that the bomb squad trucks weren't just there for looks. Had to badge people just to get in here."

"Your badge isn't a free park pass, Agent Booth. It doesn't get you on any ride you please."

"Well... I don't know about that."

Brennan cleared her throat. "Sorry to interrupt, but shouldn't we be evacuating the Jeffersonian?"

"That's probably a good idea. Meet back here at seven tomorrow morning?" Booth asked. Nods all around.

Brennan walked past Booth, not giving him any eye-contact, then went on to her office. Booth jogged after her. "Bones!"

He caught up with her in her office. She was grabbing her jacket. "Good-night, Booth."

"I'll give you a ride home."

"No need."

"I gave you a ride to the courthouse this morning, Bones--unless you plan to walk..."

"Angela will drive me. It's not like you're the only person on this earth who can fulfill my transportational needs." She brushed past him.

He reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Bones, stop."

--

From the lab, Perotta, Cam and Hodgins looked on.

"Are they...?" Perotta asked.

"What? Sleeping together? Sweetie, you know just about as much on that subject as we do."

Hodgins shook his head. "I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Wait, you're taking me home, remember?" Angela jogged up to him and the two walked out of the lab arm-in-arm.

"But he... gets all flirty," Perotta said, still a little confused about the Booth/Brennan relationship.

"The signals those two give off are about as murky as the East River. I'll make sure the rooms are empty," Cam said, walking off.

Perotta shook her head and walked out just in time for the bomb-sniffing dogs to be led through the lab.

--

Brennan shrugged out of his grasp.

"Why are you pissed at me?"

"I'm _not _angry at you, Booth."

"You tell me 'Good-night' like you're mad at me and _then _you refuse my _ride_?"

"You misinterpreted my voice inflections and it's not unusual for Angela to give me a ride home."

"Is it Perotta?"

"No," she quickly replied.

"Bones, we're just friends."

"Just a friend who you twinkle your eyes at?"

"What?"

She walked off and he pursued her through the lab.

"No, it makes perfect sense, Booth. _We're _just partners and _you're_ just friends." She slowed her pace and put a hand to her head. "I'm being irrational." She turned. "Sorry, Booth--I don't know what got into me."

"S'okay." Booth smiled and put an arm around her. "Hungry?"

"Is that what you do when you get into trouble? You _feed _people?"

* * *

_We're not too far away from some fluff--just warning you. ;)  
_


	8. Chapter 8

"Ten minutes, _cher_."

"Thanks, Caroline."

"Don't you lay your charm on me, young man. You get to talk to your brother, now go do it. Don't keep yackin' my ear off."

Booth smiled and opened the door.

"And cher?"

He turned.

"Don't you dare call me unless it's worth draggin' me outta bed for. Not 'til the sun is shinin' at least."

"Will do, Caroline."

Booth walked into the private room. Jared was sitting behind the table, looking down at his cuffed hands.

"Hey, Jared."

"Seeley. You're the only man I know who wears a suit well past midnight."

"Yeah--It's been a long day."

"Yeah, Tempe told me you guys are trying to catch an accomplice?"

Booth looked up sharply. "Bones visits you?"

"Every once in a while." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Booth couldn't get it out of his head. Bones--_his _partner--_visits _his brother? "What--do you talk about?" He tried to be nonchalant, too.

"Stuff."

"Stuff?"

Jared was beginning to catch on. He smiled. "Don't get worked up, Seeley."

"I'm not getting worked up. I was just asking--making conversation."

"Really. Would you... like to know?"

"Sure." _Hopefully that didn't sound too eager._

"Sex, mostly."

Booth's glare grew cold, his teeth clenched together.

Jared began to laugh. "Seeley! I'm f-cking joking, man!" After a few seconds, he caught his breath. "Seriously, though? We talk about you."

"Me?"

"And it's not like it's that way because of my arrest, either. When we went out--"

"I don't wanna hear this."

"Why?"

"I dunno--It feels like I'm eavesdropping into Bones' private life."

"Seeley, you _are _her private life." Jared laughed. "I figure that it was probably best that she knocked my ass to the ground. It was _not _a match made in heaven. Friends? Yes. Lovers? _No way_."

"Woah. Back up. She did _what?"_

"Pushed me off a bar stool. Then she chewed my ass out when Tafett got you."

"Why?"

"I'm not proud of myself, Seeley. Let's just say that the reason you're here is because your partner really must love you. I'm sorry I wasn't a better brother to you." He began to chuckle a little sardonically. "Can you believe it took three months of drying up in prison to say those words to you?"

"It's OK, Jared. Because I know you meant them. If you were drunk, I'd probably not have taken them to heart." Booth stood up and walked to the other side, then hugged his brother. "I love you, Jared."

"I love you, too. You should probably let go of me before they offer us a conjugal trailer."

Booth let go of his brother. "Listen, Jer--The reason I came here was because I didn't get a chance to tell you thanks. I know you lost your job because of me."

"Chances are, I would've lost it anyway."

"Yeah, for _drinking_. Saving your brother's life shouldn't be one of those reasons." He sighed. "I'm talking to the judge that's overseeing your case."

"Think they'll give me a slap on the wrist for falsifying paperwork and stealing a body from the FBI?"

"No, Jared. Probably not. But I've gotta do something. You're my brother."

"Thought you weren't 'saving me' any more."

"This is different, Jared. You didn't get into this mess because you got drunk and drove into a telephone pole. You got into this mess because you did the _right thing_. I want you to know that I'm proud of you."

Jared nodded. "That's good to hear--especially coming from my brother."

The guard knocked on the window.

Booth smiled at his brother and let himself be let out. As he walked by the glass window, he looked back at his brother. _Jeez, he felt guilty--and proud. Guilty and proud. _He waved one last time. Jared raised cuffed hands as the guard led him out of the room and down the hall toward his cell.

* * *

_Thank you everyone!  
_


	9. Chapter 9

"Facility's clear," Perotta said, smiling.

"Thanks, Perotta," Booth grinned back.

Another irrational wave of--_something_--washed through Brennan as she walked past the two.

"Find anything? A _pipe _bomb? A _shoe _bomb? A bomb made out of old _sneakers_? A book of _matches_?" Hodgins asked, sounding a little irate.

"The bomb squad said it was clean, Dr. Hodgins. I'm just doing my job. Just like you."

"Yeah, well, we've wasted twelve hours. So, excuse me while I go do my _work_."

"Touchy," Perotta whispered as Hodgins pushed past.

"He just wants to catch the guy. He and Bones were buried a couple of years ago by the Gravedigger, so--"

Perotta smiled. "No harm, no foul." She sighed. "Well, I'll see you back at headquarters."

Booth shook his head, "You make it sound like we're superheroes."

When she had gotten outside, she slid her sunglasses on, cursing under her breath. "Damn if he wasn't so charming." One smile from the man, and she was a gooey teenager all over again.

Booth put his hands in his pockets and walked onto the forensic platform where his partner was sitting, looking at x-rays. "Need any help, Bones?"

"You seem to be doing just fine without me," she replied coolly. The words registered and even she noticed the icy bite in her voice.

Booth sighed, looked around to make sure nobody was looking their way. Then he bent toward her, spun her chair around forcefully, and with both hands on the arms of her office chair, he moved to within fractions of an inch of her face. "Perotta and I are friends. I flirt, yeah-- But I don't want anything more from _her_."

"You can do anything you want. It's _your _sex life. Not _mine_." She pushed her chair back and walked away.

"Bones, this isn't over."

She looked back at him wordlessly, then escaped to her office. _What was happening to her? _One second, she was calm. The next, she was wildly emotional.

Before she could reach her office, a scream burst out from Angela's office. Immediately, thoughts of the heart in the box from Epps sprung to mind and all feet took flight to Angela's office.

"Angela, you OK?" Booth asked.

"Babe!" Hodgins wasn't too far behind and neither were Cam and Angela.

"Angela, what's wrong?"

Angela looked like she was either on the verge of tears or a furious outburst when she turned toward her friends. "Somebody wiped my harddrive. Everything's lost. All my files-- Everything I was working with. Every--" She shook her head and Hodgins took her into his arms.

"It's OK, Angie."

"No, it's not OK. I don't think I can crack that code now. The Cryptanalysis program's gone. I was worried as it was that it wouldn't have been able to decipher the code in time as it was-- I'm sorry, Bren."

Brennan shook her head. "It's fine, Angela. We'll just have to find other evidence. The answer is always right in front of us."

In the background, Booth turned with his hands on his hips and kicked the door frame. "Shit."

"Calm down, Booth," Cam whispered.

"I'm not gonna calm down. This was the Accomplice's plan from the start. Fake bomb threat, sneaking in as one of them, destroy the evidence." He looked at Cam. "Where's the boxes?"

"Under lock and key in the old Gormogon Vault. There's no way that the Accomplice could've gotten to it. Too many security codes to bypass."

"Who among you has experience in deciphering code?" Sweets asked.

Everyone pointed at Angela. She rolled her eyes, "Great. Now I feel even worse."

"Zack could've done it," Hodgins muttered under his breath.

All eyes looked at him.

Sweets grinned. "I've got an idea."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Dr. Sweets," Cam said.

"Dr. Addy is completely harmless."

"Except for the fact that he plunged a knife into a man's chest," Cam replied. Everyone made looks or nods of agreement. Off from Sweets' look, Cam added, "Didn't he?"

Everyone looked at Sweets.

"Tell me that Zack isn't in jail wrongfully," Brennan said, stepping closer to Sweets.

"Due to legal constraints--"

"Screw your legal constraints, Sweets. Tell me that Zack isn't in jail for a crime he didn't commit."

"Bones," Booth whispered, pulling on her arm. She shrugged it free, keeping her eyes on Sweets.

"Listen, guys. Not only did Dr. Addy swear me to secrecy, but because of Ethical Bylaws--"

"He didn't," Brennan concluded. "Zack didn't kill anybody. And you _kept _this a secret from me?"

"He asked me to."

"My assistant, my _friend_, is in jail and you couldn't overlook your _ethics_?"

"Technically, he did commit a crime, just not the one he was jailed for. Dr. Brennan, I'm sorry--"

"I need my space," Brennan replied, walking out of the office.

"Bones--" Booth ran after her.

All eyes returned to Sweets. "Look, guys. I'm really sorry. I didn't know what to do--"

Hodgins was the first to give Sweets a non-threatening look. He smiled slightly. "It's OK, man," he patted his shoulder. "You did what you had to. Brennan just--She'll be OK." He put his hands into his pockets and walked out of the room.

"You did the proper thing, Dr. Sweets." Cam walked out of the room.

"You're going to go get Zack, aren't you?" Angela asked when they were left alone.

Sweets nodded. "He won't hurt anyone and he's the only one who knows patterns like he does."

Angela stood up and got her jacket. "I'm coming with you."

* * *

_Thanks again for the comments, guys! I really appreciate them!  
_


	10. Chapter 10

They drove in silence for the first several miles with Brennan looking out the window and Booth glancing over at her every few seconds.

"Can you believe he didn't tell us?' Brennan asked, watching the shrubbery and parked vehicles pass by.

"The kid was just doing his job, Bones."

"All this time, Booth... I've been under the impression that Zack murdered someone. I feel so..."

"Hurt?"

She nodded. "I don't think I'll be able to fully forgive Sweets."

"Bones, I don't think he meant to--"

"Are you taking his side now? I thought you disliked him."

"I _tease _him, Bones, but I don't _hate _him."

Brennan shook her head. "I can't believe this."

"Bones, don't you think you're being a little irrational? He was only doing what he had to to keep his job. You would've done the same thing."

"No. No, Booth. I wouldn't. If it came down to honesty and losing my job or keeping the truth from someone and keeping my job, I'd choose honesty."

"And lose your job... as a _Forensic Anthropologist_? Bones, you _live _for your job."

"In all honesty, I would be easily hired somewhere else, but that's not the point. The point is, he lied to me, Booth. I had already conformed my thoughts around this new idea that Zack was a killer. Now I have to not only live with the fact that I viewed him that way, but I have to create a new set of thoughts on the subject... And I resent that you called me irrational. I'm _never _irrational."

"What about the way you've been treating Agent Perotta... I'd call that irrational."

Brennan looked sharply over at him. "Stop the car."

"What?"

"_Stop the car!" _

Booth pulled over.

Brennan jumped out.

Booth hopped out, "Bones, just get back inside."

By then, Brennan was standing almost in the middle of the road. She turned. "I find you highly provoking and irritating. I'll call a cab."

"Look, I'm sorry, Bones. I'm sorry!"

"You are not. You're only saying that because I'm angry at you."

"For mentioning Perotta?"

"For knowing that it would make me angry and dropping her name althemore. I'm calling a taxi back to the lab. Don't follow me, Booth." Brennan continued across the street. Three-Quarters of the way across the street, wheels screeched around the corner.

Booth turned around in time to see the truck barreling down the road towards Brennan.

"Bones!" was the only word he got out as he ran toward her and dove on top of her, slamming her back into the concrete.

The truck continued on its way, throwing something out the window. The item rolled until it stopped beside a car's wheel.

Booth rolled onto his back. "Stay here." He jumped to his feet, pulled out his gun, and ran toward the vehicle although it was a useless pursuit. "FBI!" The truck disappeared around another corner. He slowed, putting his hands on his hips and looked around. He spotted a man and a woman on the sidewalk. "You see anything?"

The woman shook her head. "Sorry. It happened so fast."

Booth nodded and looked back toward Brennan. He jogged back to her and helped her to her feet.

She tried to touch her right scapula.

Booth inspected it tenderly. The back of her shirt was torn and blood was seeping through the light blue material of her blouse. "My place is only a couple of blocks away. We can clean up there."

"You'll need a new shirt. The back is covered in oil now." Her eyes fell to the wheel of the parked car. "What's that?"

Booth walked over to it and picked it up. It was a broken brick, smoothed on the edges with a white piece of printer paper rubber-banded to it. He unwound it and looked at the sheet. "Back off." A little cliche, but apparently the Accomplice was a psycho and _not _a poet. Something slipped to the ground. He bent and picked it up. It was a small newspaper article. The title read: _FBI Captures Gravedigger. _The word "Captures" was crossed out with a thick red permanent marker.

Brennan walked up to him and looked over his shoulder, inspecting the items.

"Well, if there was any doubt that there was an Accomplice, there isn't any more," Booth whispered.

* * *

_Thanks again! I hope you're all enjoying your day--tonight is Bones night--unless you're from Canada in which case, LAST NIGHT was Bones night! (Lucky things!)  
_


	11. Chapter 11

Cam walked out of her office, putting her cell phone in her pocket. She slid her card through the scanner and walked onto the forensic platform.

"What's wrong?" Hodgins asked.

"Somebody just tried to run over Dr. Brennan."

"Is she OK?"

"Minor scratches."

"Dude... It has to be the Accomplice, right? It's the only thing that makes sense."

"Whoever it was threw a note out the window. It was wrapped around a rock or something. They're going to bring it by once they've cleaned up."

"That's just freaky scary."

"I agree. Whoever this is has a nasty temper--_and how_," she said, shaking her head and crossing her arms. Then her attention was brought away from Hodgins to movement at the other end of the lab. Her mouth dropped slightly. Then she smiled.

Hodgins turned on his stool. A huge grin spread across his face and he laughed.

The two went to the other end of the lab. Sweets and Angela were walking through the double doors. Angela had her arm interlinked with Zack's and was radiating.

Hodgins ran down the stairs and took Zack into a bear hug. "Good to see you out of your Crazy Boy Clothes."

"Dr. Sweets brought me a set of street clothes. As it turns out, we wear similar sizes. The slacks are a little long, however--"

Cam walked toward the group and hugged Zack. "Hi, Zackaroni."

"Dr. Saroyan, you're looking well."

She smiled and looked at Sweets. "I hope that you didn't sneak Zack out in your knapsack, Dr. Sweets."

"That's physically impossible," Zack said.

"I abode by the rules," Sweets assured her.

Hodgins laughed and patted Zack on the back. "God, I missed this guy."

"I agree. It's good to have you back..." Then Angela added, smiling, "Z-Man."

"I assume that you are all using epithets as a way to express your affection for me. I assure you that it isn't necessary. I know you all like me."

"No." Angela said, shaking her head. "We _love you_, Zack."

Zack smiled, feeling thankful to be around his friends once again in a familiar setting. "So, Dr. Sweets tells me that you're trying to decipher a code?"

Cam wrapped her arm around Zack's free arm, Angela on one side and Cam on the other. "This way," Cam said.

"Where's Dr. Brennan?"

Cam slowed. "Somebody tried to run over her a few minutes ago, but she's OK. She's with Booth."

Sweets spoke up. "I'd put money on it that it was the Accomplice. Whoever this is has evaded capture for so long... Even when Tafett was arrested, he--or she--let her go to trial without saying a word--Even Tafett wouldn't give us a name--"

"Meaning...?"

"Meaning, that whoever this _is _is amoral. This person will do anything to avoid imprisonment. Even going to the extent of trying to kill Dr. Brennan just to prove a point. I don't think any of us should go out alone. The Accomplice has an agenda and to meet that agenda, he will destroy anyone or anything in his path."

"Good thing she was with Agent Booth, then," Zack said.

Angela still looked out of sorts.

"You OK?" Hodgins asked.

"I--I just hate this whole crimefighting thing sometimes."

Hodgins hugged her. "Hey, it's gonna be OK, Angie."

She wrapped her arms around him. "I'm glad you're here, Hodgins."

"I'll always be here for you. Always by your side." He kissed her forehead.

"Coming?" Zack asked, making a gesture with his arm, waving it.

Hodgins smiled.

* * *

_Thank you for all of the compliments! :D :D :D You all made my day!_

_Next Bones episode: March 12th--yikes! But from then on it's uninterrupted and there's even a week where there's a double episode. _

_I got to watch P&tP early this morning--I was so happy! :D_

_Next chapter: **FLUFF**.  
_


	12. Chapter 12

"Partial Maryland plates: 2DA. Make: red Ford truck. Run that for me and I'll get back to you."

"Sounds good," Perotta replied.

Booth flipped his phone closed and threw it onto the couch. "I keep the First Aid kit in my bathroom," he told Brennan. "How you doin'?"

"Besides the fact that I'm sure I'll be sore in the morning? Just fine."

Booth unbuttoned his shirt, slipped it over his head and threw it in the garbage as they passed by. "That was a waste," he muttered.

"You didn't need to throw that away, Booth. I could have figured out a way to remove the motor oil stain."

"You can do that?"

"Yes."

He couldn't help but to smile. They sure did have a strange relationship.

She followed him into his bedroom and into the little bathroom that was attached to it. The fixtures were old fashioned. A pedestal sink, standing shower, toilet. Toiletries were lined up neatly in just about every available inch of space. He searched the cabinet that was above the sink first. Then he opened up the little cabinet that was over his toilet and brought out the kit.

"You'll have to--"

Brennan understood and turned around so he could inspect her back. It somehow looked worse than ten minutes before. Much more bloody.

He brought out the necessary amenities: bandages, Neosporin, cotton balls, Hydrogen Peroxide. Tentatively, he lifted her shirt from the back. The touch of his hand against her bare skin made her straighten and hold her breath.

He tugged on the shirt a little more. It was no use. There was no way around it. "Bones, you're gonna have to unbutton your shirt."

OK. This was the only logical way-- It's not like she could tend to her wounds by herself. And who else would she trust? She was over-thinking this whole thing. She unbuttoned her shirt and slid the shirt down over her shoulders.

He doused a cotton ball with Peroxide and began to dab at the road rash on Brennan's shoulder blade. He cleaned it up as best as he could before finally admitting, "I think you'll have to take off your shirt--Just so--so that I can--get in there lower--" Bad choice of words. Immediately that brought to mind very NC-17 thoughts.

Brennan hesitated before whispering, "K," and finishing unbuttoning her shirt. She held it in front of her with one hand like some sort of unconscious guard-rail against the sexy topless man who was standing inches away from her shirtless self.

He dabbed the cotton ball on the deeper wounds that her shirt was hiding. Brennan tensed.

"That hurt?"

Brennan shook her head, shaking loose hairs over her shoulders. "No. It's OK."

Booth reached up and grabbed her hair gently, pulling it over her other shoulder. "Hold that."

She did.

Then he did something that took her by complete surprise.

He leaned close and blew on it. "Does that feel better?" He continued blowing.

Did it feel better? Yes! Did he have any idea what kind of effect he was having on her body? Any???

She could only nod. She looked up into the mirror. Shirtless Booth was blowing on her neck.

The only logical thought that was able to cross her mind was, _"Stop it, Brennan. Attacking Booth probably isn't the best course of action right now."_

And she was able to control herself quite well.

Until he slid his fingers under her bra strap and slid it off from her shoulder. Then he began to blow on the newly exposed flesh.

"Booth," she whispered. It was hardly audible. She doubted that Booth heard the weak complaint--not that it wasn't highly enjoyable, of course.

And as for Booth? He was honestly just trying to help a friend out. Of course, he wanted to make love to that friend, so I'm not too sure how innocent his intentions were. Especially when he moved his lips those last few millimeters and kissed her shoulder.

When she didn't pull away or tell him that their professional obligations to one another would be threatened (blah, blah, blah), and when he so badly wanted to touch his lips to her [_soft_] skin once more, he kissed her neck. He kissed her tenderly with just enough suction to make his partner lose any sense of logical integrity. All logic went down the sink. Brennan had always prided herself on being able to 'never do anything without thinking', but at that point, it was all biology (with a dab of chemistry, of course).

She turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with a ferocity that was unexpected (to both of them). It was a tornado of sloppy, sexy tasting and kissing. He broke the kiss just long enough to lick her neck, running his tongue along the expanse of ridiculously tempting silky white skin--skin that he'd wanted to taste for years. And yes, it tasted as good as he had imagined and dreamed. Every dream he'd ever woken up to, forcing himself to stop dreaming about his unreachable partner, never measured up to that moment.

"Bones--your back," he breathed.

"I don't feel it any more," she said, shaking her head quickly, then falling on his lips once again.

"I want you," he was able to sputter between breaths.

She didn't have to reply with words. She simply removed her bra and wrapped her legs around his [_muscular_] torso.

* * *

_Thanks, everyone! More to come as always. Sorry for not updating a lot today. Hopefully will put up another chap tonight!_

_-Mama  
_

_Next Bones episode: March 12th--yikes! But from then on it's uninterrupted and there's even a week where there's a double episode. _

_I got to watch P&tP early this morning--I was so happy! :D_

_Next chapter: **FLUFF**.  
_


	13. Chapter 13

Cam pressed redial.

"Hey, how's it going?" [pause] "Just kidding. You've reached Special Agent Seeley Booth. Leave a message after the tone." _(In the background, Brennan could be heard saying, "Booth, are you doing that trick-answering-machine thing again? That wasn't funny--")_ [beep]

Cam rolled her eyes and hung up. No matter what, whenever she called his phone, it went straight to voice mail and Brennan wasn't picking up.

"Any luck?" Angela asked, walking into Cam's office.

"Booth and Dr. Brennan have gone MIA."

"Let's see... where would I be if I was hopelessly head-over-heals for my partner?" She grinned. "Have you tried Booth's home phone?"

Cam grimaced. "I'm afraid to call it."

Angela laughed. "I'd give them a few minutes, then give it a call."

--

On Booth's couch was his cell phone. The phone, whose battery was secured with duct tape (although poorly secured, mind you), was in two pieces, the screen black. In Brennan's purse, which was on a hook in the walkway, her phone, which was on 'buzz' was glowing and displaying that she had missed three calls.

In the bedroom, the sheets were rustling and sounds of heavy breathing and occasional laugh could be heard from across the apartment. Discarded slacks, shoes, and socks were slung heedlessly in all corners of the bedroom. Black satin sheets were moving in rhythmic sync with a certain scientist's sighs and soft moans.

Her partner caught one of those sighs with an open mouthed kiss.

Somewhere after her [_first_] climax, she began to come back to her hazy senses.

Her partner--BOOTH--was on top of her, kissing her, touching her, making every inch of her body scream for more. This was insane. Insanely good.

Several times she made an attempt to speak, but every attempt was destroyed by the movement of his hips against hers, his tongue against her breasts... it was no use.

He kissed her lips, sucking at her bottom lip for a moment before disappearing beneath the sheet. He resurfaced, kissing her lips once again.

"Booth, this--this isn't good," she was able to finally regain her verbal abilities--just a little bit.

"Wanna try a different position?"

Woah! This was a new side of Booth--a side of Booth that was comfortable talking about sex and sexual positions.

How could she deny him?

"Sure."

--

"I think I've figured it out," Zack said. "I believe that this code has been written in a type of cryptography called Caesar Cipher. Also known as Caesar's Code and Shift Cipher. It's fairly simple, actually. I'm sure that if your program hadn't been wiped, you would have had the answer by morning."

"Do you know what any of it says?" Cam asked, leaning forward a bit.

"Yes. Unfortunately, it seems as if it has been put through two types of cipher. The first being Caesar Cipher, the second is yet to be determined. I may need to consume a caffeinated beverage; preferably coffee," Zack replied.

Hodgins grinned, "Coming right up." He patted Zack's back and headed toward the break area.

Angela jogged after him, meeting him at the coffee. "You wanna come over tonight?"

"Depends."

"On what?" She smiled.

"If you can replicate the experiment I was planning on carrying out."

"Experiment, huh?"

"Jacuzzi tub... bubbles... candles... massage oils?"

"Your place it is--assuming we get any closer to the Accomplice, that is."

"Lord willing. Hey, was Cam able to get a hold of Dr. B? She'll die if she figures out that she missed out on seeing Zack."

"Nobody's picking up. Hopefully Bren's not really hurt. I keep picturing her laid up in a hospital in Prague."

"Prague?"

"I just picked a random place."

"I've taught you well," Hodgins said, kissing her.

--

"Do you hear something?" Brennan whispered between his kisses.

Booth kissed her one last time before hopping out of bed and throwing on his shorts. His message machine was blinking 1 New Message.

He let it play.

"Hi, Booth. It's Cam. I've tried to leave messages on your cell, but you weren't picking up. If you get this message, you and Dr. Brennan are needed at the lab."

He turned and watched as Brennan walked into the living room wearing nothing but his quilt, complete with mussed hair and bare shoulders. He had never seen her more beautiful than at that moment. Not her usual put-together self.

She walked into the living room and picked up the cell phone, laying in two pieces on the sofa.

"Do you have duct tape on your phone?" She inspected it curiously.

He nodded. "It's just until the new one comes in the mail. Have I told you how sexy you are?"

She smiled at him. "Not recently."

He walked up to her, pulling her to the couch and began to unwrap the quilt from her.

"You're sexy... beautiful..." He touched his lips to every inch of bare skin.

She tried to fix the cell phone on the other side of his head. Concentration proved to be elusive. "What did you do to this thing?"

"Duct tape fixes everything, Bones."

"Obviously not. Was that Cam on the phone?"

The battery snapped back on the cell phone.

"Mm-hmm."

"Booth," she tried to wiggle out from beneath him. "What did she need?"

"Ten minutes, Bones." He was quite aggressive. He certainly wasn't teasing earlier when he said he could be aggressive when needed. And that side of him was such a turn-on.

"Fifteen." She pulled him closer to her.

* * *

_That was annoying how fanfiction-dot-net didn't work FOREVER. Anyhoo... thanks for the comments and I'll be updating A LOT b/c there are tons of chapters completed. I'll give a bit of a break between each update so that you all aren't overwhelmed._

_-Mama  
_


	14. Chapter 14

Brennan pulled her hair into a ponytail as she and Booth walked into the lab.

She stopped abruptly and Booth nearly ran into her. Her eyes fell on Zack and for a moment she looked as if she was going to cry. She ran the last several feet and took Zack into her arms.

"Zack."

"Dr. Brennan, although it's a physical impossibility, it feels as though you're crushing me."

Brennan released her hug and smiling. "I've missed you."

"Perhaps you should visit more often."

The smile fell from Brennan's face. "It's hard to see you like that."

"The facility is quite nice, actually. It's not ideal, but I'm not unhappy."

She hugged him again.

Booth walked up beside Brennan and patted Zack on the shoulder--with an open hand.

Angela took that moment to walk up to the group. "Brennan! You have no idea how happy I am to see that you still have a pulse! Why didn't you at least text me? I was worried sick."

"I'm sorry, Ange. I had a few minor injuries that needed..." Her eyes jumped to Booth's momentarily, "attention."

"Well I'm just glad you're OK. There's only one Brennan in this world. You're not exactly replaceable." She hugged Brennan tightly.

And as she was hugging, something registered.

So, she sniffed her friend.

And smiled.

She released the hug. "Where, exactly, did you say you had to get checked out?"

"I didn't say." It was as simple as that.

"I'm happy to see that you're fine, too, Dr. Brennan," Cam chimed in.

"Did you decipher the code, Zack?" Brennan asked, leaning over Zack's shoulder at the desk.

Angela smiled at Booth. "You saved Brennan, didn't you?"

"All in a day's work." He shrugged.

"Well, let me hug the man who saved my best friend." She hugged Booth tightly. It took him by surprise, but after a little hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her.

And what did she do? She sniffed him, too.

And smiled.

"Did you just sniff me?" Booth asked.

"I'm a woman of odd enthusiasms."

Angela released the FBI Agent and walked over to where Brennan and Zack were standing.

"Caesar Cipher. The second cipher is less common, but I think I'm making headway," Zack was telling her.

"Sweetie, think I can talk to you?"

"Sure, Ange."

Brennan straightened and Angela took her aside to the edge of the platform.

Booth watched with mixed curiosity and suspicion as the women walked a few yards off. He knew how well Angela sniffed these things out--literally. As he stood over Zack's shoulder, somewhere between Cam and Hodgins, he kept an eye out for the women.

"Sweetie, did you have sex?"

Brennan's eyes widened. "What?"

"Sweetie, my sex-dar has a fine adjustment knob."

"No. Of course not." She was as bad a liar as that time she tried to tell Angela she didn't love Booth.

"Was it some sort of Bon Voyage Booty Call?"

That put Brennan on the defensive. "Booth isn't the type to make booty call...s." She knew before the sentence was over that she had not only dropped his name, but had spilled the beans.

Angela grinned.

The scanner beeped and Agent Perotta walked onto the platform.

Brennan took that outlet and walked away from the conversation with Angela.

"I have a list for you, Agent Booth."

Booth stood and took the papers from Perotta. "Awesome. Thanks."

"Any time." Perotta smiled and looked at Brennan. "I'm glad to see that you're alright."

"Thank you. I just have minor scratches. Nothing serious."

"I tried to call you and tell you that I had the list," Perotta said to Booth.

Booth looked up from the paperwork. "Uh... my phone's busted. Battery keeps falling off the back."

"I also called Dr. Brennan's phone."

Booth and Brennan exchanged glances. By then, Cam and Hodgins were watching this exchange as well. With quite a bit of amusement and curiosity.

"My phone was on silent."

"Well, then," Perotta's eyes widened and she tried desperately to change the direction of the conversation. Booth and Brennan might as well have written what they had done across their foreheads. Perotta looked at Zack. "Who is this?"

Brennan smiled. "This is my assistant, Dr. Zack Addy."

"Nice to meet you."

"I know what it says," Zack announced. He hadn't even noticed that he was being spoken to.

Everyone moved closer to where Zack was sitting.

"What made it so difficult to decipher is the fact that the second cipher is a derivative of Polyalphabetic Cryptography. PAC uses a key, which I do not have. It made the whole process much more arduous."

"Yeah, but what does it say, Zack?" Booth asked, looking at his watch.

"How much time is left?" Cam asked.

"Still have eighteen hours, but we've still gotta find the Accomplice."

Zack continued, "Since 'e' is the most common letter in the English language, that's always the first that should be deciphered. In this case, M is Z and Z is E."

"Can you decipher the first line?" Angela asked.

Zack leaned forward and concentrated on the first line for several seconds. "Do the words, 'O'Connell, Ten, Thursday' have any significance to you?"

The intensity of Booth's gaze softened as revelation set in. He looked at Brennan who stood akimbo. Unspoken communication drifted between them. They knew who it was.

"Of course!" And so did Hodgins.

"Oh, my God," Cam whispered.

"Does it?" Perotta asked.

"Yes," Brennan replied.

"Get your stuff, ladies," Booth said, jogging off the platform. "Time to catch us an Accomplice."

Perotta and Brennan ran after him.

* * *

_Two chaps for now. Let me know what you all think._

_-Mama  
_


	15. Chapter 15

Booth, with two women on his heels, walked slowly up the staircase corridor with his gun drawn.

"Just hang back, OK?"

"Hate to burst your bubble, Booth, but I'm an agent, too," Perotta said.

"Right."

"And I'm your partner. And I'm very good with a gun," Brennan added, pulling out a huge handgun from her purse.

"Holy hell," Perotta sqeaked. "That thing outweighs your head!"

Brennan shook her head, "The average human head weighs around eight pounds. This weighs two and a half, three tops."

"Had me fooled."

"Think you can save it for the hairdresser's?" Booth put a finger to his lips as Perotta shook her head and drew her gun.

Brennan smiled. "Mine's bigger than yours."

"Shhh," Booth said as he reached out his hand and rapped on 3C's door.

Nothing.

He reached for the handle, which was locked.

"I think I've got a paperclip around here somewhere," Perotta said.

Too late. Booth turned and slammed his back into the door. It opened easily.

"That's probably why you're always throwing out your back. Perhaps you should start picking locks instead?" Brennan noted.

Booth smiled at her and pushed her into the apartment after Perotta--by her butt.

"Signs of a quick flight," Perotta noted, looking around the apartment, mainly at the open window. "So, who exactly is O'Connell?"

"Janine O'Connell. She was Thomas Vega's assistant. She's a journalist by trade," Brennan replied, looking around the apartment.

"So, what do you think happened?"

"There aren't a whole lot of possibilities here, Perotta. Tafett obviously knew her--" Booth said.

"She was running the case," Perotta pointed out.

"True, but not too many people would go through the trouble of writing out her meetings with O'Connell in code."

"Good point."

"Booth!"

"Bones, what's wrong?" Booth ran into the office just as Brennan was pulling back a false wall. "Let me get that." He grabbed one end, Brennan the other. The dry wall fell off easily, revealing--

"Woah," Perotta said, taken aback.

"You got that one right."

The three studied the wall for several minutes. Pictures of victims, past and present--and future--, were push-pinned to a cork-board wall...

Including...

"Booth," Brennan said, not being able to catch her breath. "It's us."

Booth saw almost immediately what Brennan was looking at. In the lower left hand corner, there was a picture of the two of them together, eating ice cream on the steps of the Jeffersonian on a hot day. He was laughing and trying to feed her pistachio. She had her head turned, but she was smiling.

Newspaper articles were tacked in every available inch. Next to the photo was one stating that, _"New York Times Best Selling Author Donates Thousands"_ and yet another saying, _"Crime Solving Duo Save Child"._ In the newest of the articles, _"Fiction Mirrors Fact in 'Reigning Death'",_ the line, _"The sexy and sensuous FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth is by the real-life Kathy's side everywhere she goes. Says Dr. Brennan about her partner, 'My partner is one of my closest friends. I trust him with my life.' Of course, who knows what happens when the lights go out? I don't know about you, Dr. Brennan, but I'd buy a ticket on that train,"_ was highlighted.

Brennan pointed at it. "I made the editor print a retraction." She looked at Booth. "That's why they took you. Because they knew how much-- how much-- They knew," she was shaking with fury by that moment. "I'm sorry."

"Bones, it wasn't your fault."

"I really dislike her, Booth."

"We'll find O'Connell."

Anger overwhelmed her. Brennan reached out with a gloved hand to detach the photograph. Her hand froze once glittery red lights sprinkled her finger-tips.

"Lasers."

"It's bugged! Everbody get out!"

Brennan snagged the photograph as all three ran several steps toward the corridor.

The explosion shook the walls. Flames filled the room.

They all dove.

For a moment, everything was still.

Brennan sat up, resting her head against the hallway wall, breathing heavily from the adrenaline.

"Where's Perotta?" Booth asked. He hopped to his feet and went back into the room.

On the floor, long blond strands of hair were covering an unconscious Agent Perotta's face.

"We've gotta get her out of here, Bones. There might be another one."

Brennan took her legs and Booth put his arms under her shoulders. In the hallway, Booth opened his cell. "We've got an Agent down at 3460 Lyons, third floor." He looked up at Brennan. "Bones, don't you dare blame yourself."

"I'm sorry, Booth..."

"She's gonna be OK. Look at me. Don't blame yourself. We do the best we can."

Despite the thick cloud of smoke in the hallway and the numerous smoke alarms going off, Brennan's blue eyes and the tears that filled them could be easily seen.

* * *

_Glad you all don't mind really really REALLY quick updates! :D  
_

_-Mama  
_


	16. Chapter 16

"Sweetie!" Angela ran down the hallway of George Washington University Hospital. She immediately wrapped Brennan in a tight hug. Booth stood off a few feet and watched. "How's Agent Perotta? Oh, God, I can't believe she got hurt! I've actually started to like her."

Brennan took in a deep breath and made a conscious decision to remain calm as she said, "Agent Perotta sustained burns to thirty percent of her body. The energy of the blast threw her several feet. She fractured ribs six through ten. She has a dislocated shoulder and--"

Angela took Brennan into another hug, knowing that her friend must have been pretty shaken up if she was speaking science-ese to compartmentalize what had happened. Over Brennan's shoulder, Angela locked eyes with Booth.

"I came as soon as I heard," Cam said, walking up to the group. "How's Agent Perotta?"

Brennan released the hug, "She sustained--"

"She's hurt," Booth said, cutting Brennan off. "She's pretty banged up."

"But it won't threaten her career, right?" Booth shook his head. He didn't know. "How'd this happen?"

Guilt traced every line in Brennan's face.

"It was nobody's fault," Booth said. "O'Connell had the place booby-trapped. All of the evidence went up in flames. Place went up like a Roman candle."

"Nothing? Nothing's left?" Angela asked.

"A few charred photographs if you're up to reconstructing them."

"I'll do anything I can to help."

"Hopefully we can get a few IDs off from 'em so we can protect whoever she's got next on her list. We can't exactly narrow it down to wealthy people any more. It's much more personal this time around."

"How's Perotta?" Now it was Hodgins and Sweets who were behind the group.

Booth gave Angela a look.

"Why don't we go sit down?"Angela asked her friend.

"That's not necessary," Brennan snapped, giving both Angela and Booth cold looks.

"Bones. Go take a seat."

"Don't you dare tell me what to do, Booth."

For a moment, the two simply looked at one another. The tension was palpable.

"Perotta's fine," Booth told the men. "But we need to find out who's next and/or find O'Connell."

"Good move," Sweets said. "She's majorly PO'ed. She's gonna open a can of whoop-ass, yo."

Brennan gave Sweets an odd look. "Did he just speak English?"

Angela shrugged.

"I think we're all better off at the lab, people. Hanging around the hospital isn't going to get this crime solved any faster," Cam said.

"I'll see you at the lab, sweetie," Angela told her friend.

Angela and Sweets walked down the hallway, passing an older woman in her early sixties with light blond hair. Her eyes settled immediately on Booth.

"Agent Booth?"

"Yes?"

The woman, who had seemed calm suddenly started to cry. "Where's my baby?"

"Are you Mrs. Perotta?"

The woman nodded. "Yes. I need to see her. She's my only child. I just need to see her."

"Mrs. Perotta, your daughter is in surgery," Brennan said, becoming much more composed now that she was in front of a stranger. "She's having her wounds cleaned and skin grafts applied to her right leg and arm."

"Oh, God. It's that bad? Oh, Father in Heaven." The woman sobbed.

Booth put a comforting arm on her shoulder.

"Nancy," a man called, running up the hallway. He took his crying wife into his arms. "Are you Agent Booth? How's Payton?"

"Your daughter--" Brennan began. She looked at Booth. "Your daughter is doing fine. She'll recover fully."

"Oh, thank you, Jesus," the man whispered the prayer under his breath, closing his eyes.

"Your daughter is a fine agent," Booth said. The man nodded. "One of the best I've worked with. I'd be proud to work with her again, sir."

The man mouthed the words, 'Thank you' to Booth just as his cell rang.

Booth took the call several feet off. "Booth."

He nodded and hung up. Brennan walked over to him. "O'Connell spends a lot of time on some family property outside of DC. I'm gonna take Charlie and go check it out."

"I'm coming with you, Booth."

"Bones, no."

"Booth. This isn't a discussion. I'm coming with you."

Booth reached for Brennan's hand and took her a few more feet off. Still holding her hand, he said, "Bones, this woman has a death wish--and that death wish is for anyone who gets in her way."

"I want to see justice be carried out here, Booth. I don't like to sit in the dugout and watch as everyone else makes baskets. I want to participate, Booth."

"Bones. I can't lose you. Look at Perotta in there. That could've been you. I can't lose you. Please, just stay at the lab. Let me take care of this. Do me this one favor."

Silence passed.

Finally, Brennan said, "Fine. But you owe me."

Booth smiled. "I can think of something."

"Go. Before I change my mind."

Reluctantly, Booth let go of Brennan's hand and jogged out of the hospital.

Brennan watched as he disappeared. Then she looked at Hodgins and Cam. She'd forgotten they were still there.

Hodgins was grinning, "Dr. B!"

"We're just partners," Brennan said.

"And I'm Beyonce," Cam replied.

Hodgins looked his boss over. Grinned even more. "Sorry. I don't think you're bootylicious enough, babe."

"A bucket of chili cheese fries and a Big Gulp can change that."

"Point taken."

* * *

_Just for the record, I like Perotta. I just wanted her to be a part of the story and not a 2-dimensional-just-there-for-looks-character. ;)  
_


	17. Chapter 17

"Are you still going to Brazil?" Angela asked Brennan.

She looked up from the recent set of remains that had been sent to the Jeffersonian. "Of course. They're expecting me."

"Even after...?"

"After what? I'm not changing my mind, Angela. I have committed to helping the local government there, so that's what I'm going to do."

"What about your commitments in DC?"

Brennan glared at her.

"Sweetie, I know it's none of my business, but disappearing for three months--This just doesn't sound like ideal timing."

"Nothing is ever ideal, Ange. I need to get back to work."

Angela shook her head. Her friend could be so blind.

"What time does your flight leave?"

"Six..." Brennan looked up. "Or five. I'll have to get back to you on that."

"Fine. What's Booth doing this summer?"

"I haven't asked."

"You didn't answer me."

Brennan looked up again. "I think he's taking Parker to Disneyland in July."

"Talk to you later, Bren." She walked off the platform and back into her office where she saw Hodgins waiting for her.

Angela walked immediately to her desk where she was carefully cleaning sooty photographs.

She didn't look at him once.

Mostly to drive him crazy.

And it worked.

"Aren't you gonna maul me?" He asked, innocently.

"I can restrain myself."

"Angie. I'm sitting in your office. In my underwear. Holding roses. It can't get any sweeter than this."

"Au Contraire. You could be wearing a tux."

"The last time I wore one of those, you told me I looked overdressed. I simply chose the next best attire." He grinned.

Angela rolled her eyes and hid a smile. "What do you want, Jack?"

"Honestly?" He stood up and wrapped his arms around her.

"The interns are gonna flip."

"Let them flip." He kissed her. And she kissed back.

The kiss broke. "What did you want?"

"The honor of your presence--"

"We've still gotta solve this crime before we can go out to dinner or do anything, Hodgins."

"Let me finish. I was going to ask you to go to Aruba with me. Two weeks. Laughing, running on the beach, making love."

"Did you talk to Cam?"

"Yes. She's taking two weeks off, too. She and Michelle are spending time in New York. Shopping and girly stuff, probably... C'mon." Then he began to sing, "Aruba, Jamaica, Ooh, I wanna take ya to Bermuda, Bahamas, C'mon Pretty Mama..."

"Stop," Angela ordered. "You knew I'd say yes all along, didn't you?"

"A guy's gotta go all out."

"In your underwear."

"I'm eccentric."

"I'll say."

----------

"No remote detonators," Charlie told Booth.

"Thanks." Booth raised a walkie talkie to his mouth and muttered some orders into it. "Let's get into position."

Seconds later, the men were crawling the cabin's grounds, walking stealthily in black, weapons raised. They took their positions beneath windows and outside of doors.

Signals were given. The sun was going down, but there was enough light to see the subtle gestures the men were giving one another.

Doors snapped open and windows were shattered. The armed agents stormed the residence. Booth was one of the agents who came through the front door. The place was empty. Save for a basement of psychopathic memorabilia that scattered an old metal desk.

"A journal." Booth picked it up. Everything inside of the journal was written in code.

--------

"Cam!" Angela ran through the Medico-Legal lab with evidence in hand.

Brennan and Hodgins perked up and followed.

"What does this look like?" Angela seemed panicked. She could feel her skin crawling and her heart beating wildly. She laid the restored photograph in front of her boss's face.

If Cam could have looked pale, she would have. Any rosey color in her cheeks drained as she looked closer.

"What is it?" Brennan walked around the desk and looked over her boss's shoulder. "Sweets was right. It's personal now."

"Where's Parker?" Angela asked. "Does Rebecca have him this weekend?"

Cam jumped from her seat and grabbed her purse. "Michelle's watching him for Booth."

As Cam and Brennan ran through the Jeffersonian, Brennan kept trying to redial Booth. Somewhere in his pocket was that backless cell phone.

On Cam's desk was the restored photograph of Parker.

It was personal.

------

Michelle walked into the livingroom where she and Parker were watching Little Giants.

"You like this movie?" she asked.

"It's the best."

"So you like football and stuff?"

"I love it. My dad showed me how to throw a perfect spiral." Parker jumped up and grabbed his book bag. He unzipped it and took out his football, leftovers from after school practice.

"Just don't throw it in the house. I don't think Cam would be too happy if we broke a lamp or something."

"Why don't you call her mom?"

"Well--she's not my mom. She's--She's the closest thing I have to it, I guess." Michelle walked over to where Parker was standing.

"You're supposed to hold it like this, with your hands between the threads. Follow through." He mimicked the perfect spiral throw.

"You should probably put that away, you're making me nervous." The microwave beeped and Michelle began to walk toward the kitchen.

"I wouldn't throw it." He made several more faux throws before the football released from his small hands and flew across the room. A lamp fell to the floor.

"Parker! Look what you did!"

"I'll have dad take it from my allowance."

"That doesn't excuse the fact that you disobeyed me, mister. Go get the dust pan."

Parker rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen.

While he was in there, Michelle heard something. "Parker, was that you?"

"I didn't do it!"

She heard it again, this time from the next room over. She could hear the blood pulsing in her ears. She ran into the kitchen and opened up the broom closet. "Just stay in here and be quiet." She put Parker in it and closed the door.

Then she grabbed a skillet--one of those big cast-iron bad boys-- and held it up like a baseball bat. Somehow she knew that all of those years of high school soft ball would someday pay off.

Slowly, and with slightly trembling legs, Michelle walked into the living room. Nothing.

Then she crossed into the walkway. Nothing.

She crossed to the sitting room. There was definitely someone in there.

She could hear noises of rattling. The sliding of the window as whoever it was closed it. The creak of the floorboards beneath the person's feet.

Now. Now or never.

With a warrior-cry, Michelle jumped out from the curtain that divided the rooms and swung the skillet with ridiculous accuracy.

Skillet and head collided.

The body that belonged to the head collapsed onto the floor just as keys jangled and Cam and Brennan burst through the door.

"Bam! Bitch went down!"

"She most certainly did," Cam agreed.

Meanwhile, Brennan was running through the house. "Parker! Parker! Parker, answer me!"

Parker stepped out of the closet. He was crying, probably startled by Michelle's reaction to the intruder, and the fact that she had shoved him into a closet.

Brennan got onto her knees and hugged the boy tightly. "Oh, Parker."

* * *

_BRB with a new chapter...  
_


	18. Chapter 18

Booth, wearing his black FBI-issue cargoes and tee, ran up Cam's walkway. His eyes immediately fell on Parker, who stood beside Brennan. He took the boy into his arms, lifting him off the ground and kissed his head. "Buddy, you OK?"

Parker nodded. "Bones was with me, dad."

Booth put him on the ground and gave him a once over, checking for injuries. Then he smiled at his son. "I love you, bub."

"I love you, too. Can we go home now?"

"Yeah." Booth stood and walked over to Bones. "You OK?"

"Of course I am."

Booth so badly wanted wanted to hug his partner, but he decided to leave that until later when they were alone.

"The FBI already transported O'Connell to the hospital."

"Hospital?"

Brennan smiled. "Apparently Michelle hit her in the face with a cast-iron skillet."

"Yow."

"Fractured her nasal bone."

"I bet Cam's proud of her step-daughter," Booth laughed.

"You could say that," Cam said, walking onto her front stoop.

"Like mother like daughter?" Booth asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, c'mon, Cam. The first time I laid eyes on you, you were clothes-lining Jimmy Santeri."

"I'm retired from police work, Booth."

"Dad, can we go home now?"

Booth ruffled Parker's hair. "In a minute, Park." He smiled at Cam. "Listen, tell Michelle I said thanks."

"Done."

Booth turned to Brennan, "Wanna ride?"

"Well, Cam gave me a ride here, so--"

Booth put one hand on Brennan's back, the other one took Parker's hand.

---

Booth changed into sweats and a new tee-shirt. He towel-dried his hair.

Rebecca would be by any moment. Who could blame her for wanting Parker for the weekend instead? Either way, in the morning, it would be Friday, and that meant talking to O'Connell and the Judge--and then the thing Booth had been dreading all week... Brennan was flying to Brazil.

He opened his bedroom door, but froze when he overheard Brennan and Parker talking seriously on the couch.

"Were you afraid, Parker?"

Parker looked at Brennan. "Don't tell dad."

"Parker, your dad has been afraid before, too."

He shook his head, "Nuh-uh."

"Yes, he has. Like tonight? I know he was afraid."

Parker just looked at her.

"You want another example, don't you?" Brennan thought about it. "Your dad once told me about when you were a baby and you were really sick. He was afraid then."

"But I'm big now and he takes down bad guys all the time."

"True, but he gets afraid just like you and me, Parker. We all do."

"When were you afraid?"

"Last year when your dad was shot... I was afraid then. Being afraid and happy and sad are all things that we as humans have in common."

Rebecca knocked on the door then entered.

"Mom, I'll get my stuff," Parker said, standing and going to his room.

Booth stepped into the living room. "Hey, Rebecca."

"Seeley. Listen... I'll let you have him on his birthday. I just--"

"I understand. I think he wanted to be with you anyway tonight."

Rebecca nodded, then smiled at Brennan. "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks."

Parker ran into the living room and Rebecca put her hand behind his shoulder blades. "Let's go, sweetie."

"Bye, dad. Love you."

"I love you, too, Parker." Booth hugged Parker, then walked the two to the door and closed it.

He turned and smiled at Brennan. "Thanks, Bones."

"For what?" She stood and took up her jacket, then walked over to Booth and stood opposite him in the entryway.

"For what you said to Parker. I know you were trying to find the right thing to say. And you said it. Thanks."

She smiled slightly. "Any time."

Booth looked down at her jacket. "Going home?"

"I haven't packed--"

"Stay." The word had jumped from his lips.

"Booth--I don't think-- Under the circumstances, it isn't a good idea."

"Stay with me tonight, Bones."

"Booth--"

"We'll worry about everything when the time comes to worry." He reached out for her hand, interlinking his fingers with hers.

"It wouldn't be rational--"

"Not everything has to be rational." He stepped closer, cornering her in the dim light of the hallway. Languidly, he ran his fingers along the soft skin of her jaw, then outlined her lips. "I'm--I'm gonna miss you... Stay."

She nodded.

He kissed her. And that night, he was lucky enough to say that he made love to his best friend.

* * *

_I'm currently working on a chapter and it should be done within the hour and posted on here as well as the ABY. So BRB!!! :D_

_-Mama  
_


	19. Chapter 19

When he opened his eyes, he noticed movement in his room. At first he was completely confused as to why his partner would be in her underwear in his bedroom, but then the night love lovemaking rolled back to him in memories and visions that he'd only ever seen in his dreams. He remembered her scent. How he pulled her shirt over her head, revealing soft skin that he had kissed over and over again. How he had made love to her. How she sounded. How she reacted when their bodies met and united. Every nuance.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

She turned her head, startled that he was awake. "I have to start packing."

"We meet with the judge at eleven."

"I'll be there."

"You don't have your car, Bones." He got out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans that hung low on his hips--Brennan had to restrain herself. It would be hard enough flying away for three months as it was.

"OK." She pulled a shirt over her head and slipped on her shoes.

Booth walked over to her after pulling on a shirt and ran his hand down her arm, ending at her fingers which he held in his broad hand. "Six, right?"

"Huh?" She looked up at him with those cerulean eyes that were every bit full of curiosity.

"Your flight, Bones."

"Uh... I don't have my PDA with me. I'll have to get back to you on that."

"Blackberry, Bones. You need a Blackberry."

"I usually just have toast in the mornings."

"Bones," he smiled. "It's an organizer and a cell phone all in one. That way you have it with you all the time. It's called a Blackberry."

"That's not a very informative name. It brings to mind images of fresh fruit rather than electronic devices."

"I don't think it's an issue. It's pretty well-known. At least among humanoids."

She glared at him. "I'd put it on my to-do list, but once again, I don't have my PDA."

"So, you don't memorize your flight time because it's on your PDA...?"

"Exactly. There's no need to memorize useless information. It's a waste of time."

"I guess that makes sense."

"I'll call you and tell you when my flight leaves so you can be there on time." A moment passed where they realized how close they were standing to one another. Memories of the night--and part of the morning flashed by. Heat grew between them. She quickly dissipated the heat by looking at his watch. "What time is it?"

"Six-thirty. We should get out of here so you're not late or anything."

"You can shower at my place."

He grinned.

"I'm only offering hot water, Booth. Don't get excited."

He grabbed his jacket. Then he leaned close to her and kissed her tenderly. "Too late."

--

Janine O'Connell sat in the FBI interrogation room with two black eyes and a mound of gauze taped to her nose. Despite looking somewhat ridiculous, she was still quite intimidating.

Booth, Brennan, and Sweets were looking in through the two-way glass.

Booth was remembering the last time she talked to O'Connell, "Oh, don't be that way, Agent Booth." It took everything in him not to break her nose then. Ironic how a sixteen year old girl had done the job for him. And at least this way, it wasn't felony assault. It was self-defense.

Booth pushed off from the glass. "Stay in here, Bones."

"I want to be in there with you, Booth."

"Not today. I want a piece of this woman, alright? If I don't intimidate her, then I'm sure that a forensic anthropologist from the Jeffersonian won't, either."

Brennan looked at Sweets. "He's wrong; isn't he?"

Sweets put his hands in his pockets. "I think Agent Booth is right on this one. She isn't easily intimidated and having a doctor of anthropology trying to intimidate her might be more laughable to her than anything. I believe that a male presence might get her to open up more than a female." Brennan glared at Sweets. "Not that--psychology is a hundred percent, but I'm pretty sure--"

"Bones, next suspect we get, I'll let you interrogate." He gave her a charming, flirty smile.

Sweets began to feel a little uncomfortable as he registered the heated looks between the pair. "Should I leave you two alone...?"

Booth grinned at the young doctor and squeezed his shoulder tightly. Sweets' knees began to buckle. "Ow--Ow!"

Booth exited the room.

"Are you OK, Dr. Sweets?"

"Yeah, it's just--he is _very _strong."

Brennan smiled and pictured that night--it wasn't unobvious. "Yes, he is."

"I'm feeling slightly uncomfortable..."

"Don't be sophomoric. I was simply agreeing with you."

"Yeah, but it was still TMI."

"Is that some sort of acronym?"

"Just to clear things up a bit, Dr. Brennan, am I picking up some sexual vibes between you and Agent Booth?"

"How am I supposed to know what you're picking up?"

"I hate that anwer, you know. It's deflective."

Sweets looked back at the interrogation room as Booth entered and sat opposite of Janine O'Connell.

"That's a good look for you. Suits you." Booth told Janine.

"That's not very nice of you, Agent Booth."

"Cut the crap. Mind telling me what you were doing breaking into Dr. Saroyan's house last night?"

"My car broke down. I was going to ask to borrow a phone."

"Interesting. Especially considering that your cell phone was among your posessions."

Janine sat forward a bit. "I know why you're here. And it has nothing to do with last night."

"You're wrong. It has everything to do with last night. What were you doing with this photograph of my son?" He slid the photo over to her.

"Coincidence."

"T'hell it is."

"He's a beautiful boy, Parker. You know I once read a psychology book on the effects of fatherless sons. It was quite heart-wrenching."

"We'll talk heart-wrenching when the judge is throwing away the damned key."

"You can be very intimidating when you want to be."

Booth jumped up from his seat and took the woman by the collar, slamming her against the wall.

"You think that because you're a woman I won't hesitate to take you out? Cuz if you do, you are sadly misinformed." He held her against the wall for a few more brutal seconds before the door opened and and Charlie Burns stuck his head inside. "Booth.... BOOTH!"

Booth let the woman down. The woman glared at him as she took her seat, then glared at him some more.

"Dude," Sweets said to Brennan. "She just gave him a mega fugly face."

Brennan gave him a blank look. "F--Fugly?"

"It's--It's a slang term commonly used by people of a similar socio-cultural background as myself--"

Brennan nodded. "Twenty-year olds."

"I'm twenty-four, but.... yeah."

Booth tried not to smile as he overheard that bit of conversation. "What happened, O'Connell? Were you and Vega sleeping together? He get in the way? No. Let me guess. You and Tafett had a thing on the side, right? Jealous lovers? Got in the way of the deal?"

"I hate it when you FBI types try to psychoanalyze. It's really not your forte, Agent Booth."

"Mind saving me my afternoon? We've got enough evidence to shut you away for the rest of your life, O'Connell. You're going whether or not you or Tafett tell us what went down."

O'Connell rolled her eyes and told of Vega's last night.

Walking along the beach outside of his condo, he noticed a familiar car. That car belonged to Janine. They had had a sexual relationship for some time and perhaps he thought she was there for a little nooner. Either way, he ran up to the vehicle. He was still several feet off when he spotted two women get out of the car. The first one was Janine. The second one he would recognize was being Heather Tafett. Tafett had been snooping around for sometime, fascinated with the case. She had annoyed Vega to some extent. Perhaps he was jealous, knowing that Tafett was gay and Janine was quite open with Vega about her bisexuality. He had always acted rather jealous whenever the three of them had gotten together.

And he had a right to be suspicious, Janine said, they had been sleeping together for several months. "Monogamous relationships really are rather Old School, wouldn't you say, Agent Booth?" Booth didn't respond to her. She continued. Vega must have seen as the two women dragged the sleeping agent from the back of the car and onto Vega's boat.

_"What the hell is going on here, Janine?"_

"What a clueless bastard. Didn't even see what was going on. He was too busy seeing what he wanted to see in me and not what was really there."

The two women reacted as any logical person might. They jumped him. Together, the women knew that Vega didn't stand a chance. But he fought back hard, elbowing Heather in the ribs and onto the ground. Janine took the taser to his neck until he dropped. Once he was on the ground, "I took the taser to his heart until he foamed at the mouth. To any regular person, they might have been disturbed by the way his eyes glazed over, but I found it rather fascinating. You've killed before. Wouldn't you agree, Agent Booth?"

That's when Booth was loaded onto the boat, then onto the ship. "It wasn't as easy as you might think. You're all muscle under that slick suit, Agent Booth. Muscle weighs more than fat and you're extremely ripped."

Booth stood up. "This interview is over." Brennan left the side room and met Booth in the hallway. "What a psycho."

"Let's just hope she doesn't a reduced sentence simply because she pleads insanity." Brennan thought of Zack who had been taken back to the facility the night before. She hadn't even gotten to say good-bye. It was hard to believe that sweet, wonderful, intelligent Zack could be locked up with people like Janine O'Connell.

"Given the evidence, I'm sure that the judge will set a new trial date. Probably for the end of the summer, early fall."

* * *

_All caught up!!! :D  
_

_-Mama  
_


	20. Chapter 20

"August 29th," Booth said in to his cell. He took his weapon out of his holster and laid it down for security. His watch, his badge, the gun in his ankle holster. The short Asian woman took the weapons and eyed Booth's badge. Eyed it a little longer.

"I'll just be keeping these right here."

"Thanks," Booth replied.

Back at the lab, Cam was pulling on her jacket, holding a cell to her ear. She turned out the lights of her office and waited for a moment. "Sounds like a good trial date." She walked out of the lab, nodding at the security guard. The lights shut off, drowning the lab in darkness. "You're taking Parker to Disney World?"

"Yeah. I figured he'd really like it." At that moment, Booth saw a very cross Caroline Julian marching up to him. "Listen, Cam, I gotta go. Have a good sum--"

Caroline slapped Booth's arm, knocking his cell to the ground. The battery went in one direction, the cell in another. "Caroline."

"Caroline," she mocked. "Don't you call me Caroline after what I just had to do for you. It's _Ms. Julian_ to you and don't you _dare _forget it."

Booth rubbed the offended arm and retrieved the cell pieces, shoving them in his pocket just in time to duck away from another one of Caroline's swipes.

"You're lucky I like you Booth. I'm even starting to tolerate your _damned _partner. Just remember this, young man, don't you _ever _play me like that again. I will have your head on a _stake_. Don't you know I'm not just here for _looks_? Mind you, I can't blame you, but I--"

"Caroline, Caroline--" She glared at him. "Ms. Julian. I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Room's ready, Agent Booth," the security guard told Booth.

Booth nodded. "Listen, Carol--Ms. Julian, I don't know how or why I stepped on your toes, but listen, I'm sorry."

"You can't just _charm _your way into my good graces. You gotta _earn _it, _cher_."

"Agent Booth?" The guard asked.

"Just a minute."

Caroline continued. "You can't just tell me that you don't know anything about this. You and Dr. Brennan are more than just partners--I got _eyes_, don't you think I don't see it, but using an _Assistant United States Attorney_ to pull strings--Like I said, I ain't happy, but I like you. So I won't _kill _you."

"Thanks, Caroline."

"Hmph." She walked past him, leaving Booth feeling completely bewildered.

He walked into the little room that the guard was standing by.

He stopped and stared at the person in the orange jump suit for several seconds.

"Just got hit by a car, Seeley? You look like shit."

Jared. He could be so wonderfully blunt.

"It's been a long week." Booth took a seat opposite his brother.

"Yeah... Tempe told me."

Booth was taken aback. "Where the hell does Bones find time to visit you?"

Jared laughed. "I guess you make time for things that are important to you."

Booth tried not to feel jealous. He hadn't seen his partner all day and it was almost three.

Jared laughed again and sat forward a bit, folding his arms on the steel table. "You get that pathetic look on your face when you think Tempe's favoring me over you."

Booth scowled at him.

"Hey, don't blame me, man... So she didn't say anything to you, did she? Figures."

"What are you talking about?"

"Figured it was a surprise."

--

_Noon_

Brennan walked into the little visiting room.

"You know, you didn't have to do that, Tempe."

"Yes, I did."

"Wanna take a seat?" Jared gestured at the metal chair opposite of where he sat.

"No thank you. This will just take a minute. I'm flying to Brasília in a few hours--that's in Brazil--"

"I figured as much."

A moment of silence--awkward silence--passed before anyone dared to speak.

"Tempe... I know that you went out of your way, so--Thank you."

"I didn't do it for you."

Jared smiled. Then he nodded. "Seeley."

Brennan nodded. "It's as if I'm returning the favor--so to speak. He once did something very similar for my brother. And I know that you mean a lot to him, so-- It's for Booth."

"Well, I appreciate the sentiment."

Brennan stood. "I should get going."

Jared stood. "Well, thanks--See you in a few months?"

Brennan nodded. She turned. "Booth once told my brother Russ to keep his nose clean. I'm not quite sure what the implication is. I'm sure it's metaphorical. I don't often understand metaphors, but if I were to make an inference, I would assume that it means to do the right thing. Also, I did a lot of string-pulling to reduce your sentence and I'm pretty sure that Caroline Julian would not be very happy with me if you were to reoffend."

"Right. I get it." Jared smiled. "I'll be good."

The guard opened the door and Brennan made like she was going to leave then looked back at Jared. "I'll always be indebted to you. Your brother means more to me than... than you'll ever know." She left before she could be bombarded with questions about love or the like.

--

Booth smiled. "Bones is somethin' else, isn't she?"

"Yeah, but she's _your _somethin' else."

"Damn right."

--

Brennan closed her suitcase. Check-in was in fifteen minutes. Subtract travel time, multiplied by variables such as traffic and weather--Who was she kidding? She was about bones not math. This is why she had her GPS.

She squeezed the phone between her shoulder and her ear. She sighed and redialed it as she pulled her suitcase out to the car, grabbing a photograph and sticking it into her pocket before locking the doors. She redialed several times before dialing Angela.

"I'm leaving right now, sweetie," Angela said to Brennan.

"OK. I'm leaving now, too."

"Right _now_?"

"First class doesn't have to wait through those ridiculous lines, Ange. Besides, I have my GPS. I'll get there with time to spare."

On the other line, Angela rolled her eyes. "What about Booth? Did you get a farewell roll in the hay?"

"Angela--"

"Spare me."

"He'll be at the airport in time." She was trying to convince herself moreso than Angela.

"Listen, I should go. I suck at driving and talking at the same time."

"Perhaps that's because you try throwing in mascara application and hairdressing into the mix?'

"Hey, I don't put my nose into your business."

Brennan smiled and hung up. She redialed Booth's cell once again. It went straight to voice mail. Again.

Finally, she dialed a number that she had only dialed once before.

After a few rings, a young boy's voice answered. "Hi."

"Uh... Parker?" That was unexpected.

"Yeah. Can I take a message?"

Brennan smiled, imagining the little secretary. "Where's your dad?"

"He's going poop."

Brennan smiled. "OK... think you can hand the phone to him?"

"Ew. It smells disgusting in there. You have no idea. Dad's poops are like atomic bombs."

_Good to know. _"How about you take a message for me, then? You must remember to give him the message, though, Parker. It's very important."

"I'm not stupid." Parker got a pencil and dug out an old envelope from the desk. "OK. I got it."

"Alright. Tell your dad that Bones called--"

"Booooneeeesssss." He jotted down the name.

"Tell him that my flight leaves at five, not six."

"OK." Parker scribbled down the times.

"Make sure he gets that."

Parker rolled his eyes. He hated it when grown-ups treated him like he was still six.

Brennan lifted the suitcase into the car, almost determined to stay on the phone until Booth was... done. But the cell slipped from her shoulder, hit the ground, and snapped closed.

"Well, that solves that conundrum."

* * *

_Glad that you've all loved it so far! Thanks for the responses!  
_

_-Mama  
_


	21. Chapter 21

Booth walked into the living room. When he got in there, Parker was concentrating hard. Harder than he'd ever remembered.

It was amazing how the Mario Brothers still held the attention of kids decades after he remembered playing with an NES.

"Park." No response. "Parker. Wanna pry yourself away from that game long enough to put shoes on? I've got somewhere to be at five, so Michelle's gonna keep an eye on you for an hour."

Parker paused the game. "Even after someone broke in?"

"Yeah. I figure that Michelle's the best babysitter you've ever had, so why mess with a good thing? Go on. Get your shoes."

Parker sighed. "Can't I find a good stopping place first?"

"No. I told you ten minutes ago we were leaving. You chose to procrastinate. Get your shoes. We're going." Booth put his jacket on and followed Parker to the hallway. As he passed by the telephone stand, his hip bumped against it, a stack of papers fell to the ground. The hand-written message from Brennan slipped beneath the table. "Don't dawdle."

Parker groaned shoved his heel into the shoe. Booth opened the door and the two walked out.

--

"Got everything?" Angela asked. "Toothpaste, toothbrush... lipstick?"

"Lipstick?" Brennan asked.

"Just because you're gonna be in a jungle for three months doesn't mean you have to look like a native."

"I remembered everything, Angela. This isnt my first international consultation." Brennan's eyes drifted momentarily over Angela's shoulder's. "And Brasília is urban."

"Waiting for Booth?"

"Huh? No. We already said good-bye. He--He might slip past security to see me off, but--I told him that it would be awkward, so... It's better off this way."

"That's very reserved of you, sweetie. But what do you really think?"

"I think I need to go through security already. I should have gone through an hour ago."

"Well, I'll miss you, Bren. Stay safe, K?" The women stood, then embraced.

Brennan found herself, twenty minutes later, walking down a lonely terminal, wishing that this whole thing had gone down differently.

And she felt... dejected. Rejected. Forgotten. Booth had forgotten about her. Rationally speaking, Parker could have forgotten to give him the message, but she couldn't help but to think irrationally--like... like a _woman_.

She shook off the feelings that were reeling inside of her. What had happened with Booth was simply physical. It was the culmination of pressurized tension. Things would be back to normal when she came back in August. It was simply a release of pressure. They were both under a lot of pressure. Booth with his brother in jail. Brennan with Max's recent health issues. The Gravedigger case coming to light. Perotta being burned--

_It wasn't her fault_, she reminded herself, reaching her hand into her pocket.

Of course, their first encounter spoke a multitude to that fact. Brennan's injury, brush with death--It's only natural that one would seek that release, that comfort--

But she still couldn't help but to feel so completely terrible as she watched the tarmac speed by. Slower, slower. Faster. The wings lifting into the air. Clouds growing thicker outside of her airplane window. Washington DC disappearing below the horizon...

Nothing made her happier than pursuing her love of anthropology.

But she found that nothing made her sadder than knowing that she was leaving someone behind.

--

Booth ran through the airport. He was late. Not by much, just long enough to know that he wasn't going to spend as much time with Brennan as he wanted to before she left for Brazil.

Her plane left at six and it was five o' five.

A hundred might-have-beens ran through his mind before his gate slowed and two familiar faces came into view by the arrivals board.

"Angela? Hodgins?"

Hodgins nodded.

"Hi, Booth. Did do a little badge-flashing to get past baggage check?" Angela put her hands on her hips and smirked.

_Baggage check?_

"What? Did you miss Brennan's flight?" Angela laughed at first, thinking that Booth was joking. Then her smile slowly disappeared.

"Oh, dude. Wife's gonna be pissed." Hodgins chuckled. He wasn't as sympathetic as Angela. "Sorry," he said, noticing that Booth had a death-glare locked on him.

"I'm sorry, Booth. Didn't Brennan tell you what time her flight left?"

"Yeah," Booth said. He pulled a yellow Post-It from his pocket. "Six-fifteen. She... " _She wrote it down herself._

The sympathetic look on Angela's face was too much to bear. "Oh. It--It left at five, Booth. I don't know why she told you the wrong time--"

"Sorry, man," Hodgins said. "Look, we're about to go out to dinner with Cam and a bunch of lab rats before we all split up for the summer. Wanna come? It's at the bar, so--"

Booth shook his head. "No... It's--It's alright. I'm--I've got things to do anyway."

"Booth..." Angela attempted to console him.

Booth shook his head and pretended to shake it off. "It's no big deal. I just must've misheard, that's all. I'll-- see you guys later, huh?"

Angela whispered, "Something happened."

"Like they slept together or something?"

"I was afraid this would happen if they hooked up."

"You have the heart of an angel," Hodgins whispered. He kissed her cheek.

Angela didn't even notice. She was still watching Booth walking away with slumped shoudlers. "I wish I could do something."

"He has Parker this weekend, that should take his mind off it--"

Angela shot him a look. "No. Something _real_, Hodgins."

"Um... stay here for a second, Angie, OK?"

"Sure..."

Hodgins ran up to Booth. "Hey, Booth! Wait up, man."

Booth slowed and turned. "I gotta pick up Parker, Hodgins. Cam and Michelle are going to that dinner thing, so--"

"Just wait a second, OK?" Hodgins took his bag off from his shoulders and unsnapped the flap. He produced an accordion file, which he opened, and then handed Booth a photocopied letter. "Look, I promised I'd stay out of everything and all, but-- Y'know..."

Booth looked down at the letter, trying to register what it was.

"I gotta go." Hodgins jogged off, taking Angela by the waist and walking out of the airport with her.

Booth was still trying to process the letter. It was short and to the point. But his mind was spinning so fast that even the signature--"Bones"--seemed to be written in Greek.

* * *

_Glad that you've all loved it so far! Thanks for the responses!  
_

_-Mama  
_


	22. Chapter 22

"Welcome to Orlando. The current temperature is eighty degrees with a ninety-seven percent humidity. Whether this is your final destination or you are transferring flights, we at American Airlines hope that you have enjoyed your flight and will fly with us again the next time you travel. Please make sure that you have all of your belongings and please place your trays at their locked and upright positions. We'll begin de-boarding with first class and work our way towards the back of the cabin. Thank you and good-night." The cheery stewardess hung up the receiver and began to help the first class off from the aircraft.

Brennan grabbed her bag and her laptop carrier, shouldering both. She hadn't gotten a wink of sleep the entire flight. Perhaps she would get more sleep on the flight to Brazil?

"Excuse me," she told the woman who was standing in the aisle. The woman took a step backwards to let Brennan in. She stood in the line behind an older gentleman. The line began to move.

The woman behind her noticed a piece of paper in the seat. She picked it up, looked at it momentarily, and tapped on Brennan's shoulder. "Excuse me, you forgot this."

Brennan took it from the woman's hand. It wasn't paper. It was a photograph. The photograph that she had carried in her pocket since Agent Perotta got injured. "Thank you."

The woman smiled. "You two make a sweet couple. Does he live here in Orlando?"

Brennan didn't answer. She was still looking at the photograph.

The woman shook her head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to answer."

"No. It's OK. He actually lives in DC."

"Well, hopefully you two won't have to be apart for long." The woman smiled a friendly smile as the line began to move and the women de-boarded the aircraft. "Is Orlando your final stop?"

Was it? Was it her final destination? "Well, no."

"Oh, yeah? Where are you headed? Orlando's my home town. I love this place."

"I'm actually going back to DC tonight."

"Oh, wow. That's a short visit."

Brennan smiled at the sweet blond young woman, then scanned the airport as they walked into it. "Where's the ticket counter?"

The woman pointed. "There she blows."

"Thank you for your help."

"Anytime, sweetie."

Brennan ran the rest of the way, weaving between travelers, trying to keep her bag on her shoulder.

"Can I help you?" The woman behind the counter had large dark eyes and chocolate-brown hair.

Brennan put her ticket on the counter. "Can I trade this in for a ticket back to DC tonight?"

The woman simply gave her a blank look, then looked down at her computer and started typing. She looked up. "I'm sorry. There's nothing tonight. I can put you on stand-by?"

"How dependable is stand-by?"

"Not incredibly, but I can put you at the top of the list, Dr. Brennan." She bent forward a bit. "I loved your book, _Reigning Death_. It was nothing short of amazing."

"Thank you." Brennan tried to use her extra inches to stretch and see what the attendant was doing on the computer as she click-clacked away.

"My favorite character is FBI guy by far. I can totally imagine his sexy smile and broad shoulders-- Here we are."

"What?"

"I have you at the top of stand-by list. There's a flight that leaves in an hour. I can't remember the last time someone didn't miss their flight or something, so you might get lucky tonight."

"Thank you."

"Any time."

Brennan walked away and took a seat on a hard airport bench. She took out her cell phone and dialed.

"O escritório de Detetive Madalena Costa e Silva. Um minuto, por favor."

"Olá!"

"Olá. Este é Doutor Temperance Brennan."

"Good afternoon, Dr. Brennan, how may I help you?" In Brazil, the detective, tall and strikingly beautiful with high cheekbones and almond eyes, sat at her desk, ready to go home for the night.

"There will be a minor change in plans, Detective."

"What changes are these?"

"Dr. Clark Edison will be going in my stead. He's an excellent Forensic Anthropologist."

"We are sorry that we won't be able to meet you, Dr. Brennan, but we will be looking forward to Dr. Edison's arrival. I know how much he wanted this experience as well. Perhaps we can work together on a future case, barring a repeated political incident such as this."

"I am sorry, too." Honestly, she was more sorry about breaking the promise to be their forensic expert than anything. All she wanted was to get home. Quick.

--

Booth couldn't sleep that night. Maybe it would have helped if he knew that Brennan was sleeping on an airport bench for him that night. Finally, he got out of bed and poured himself a drink of water. From the kitchen, he eyed the letter Hodgins had given him.

He had come to two conclusions.

One: Brennan wanted to torture him to death.

And two: it was an obvious forgery... with Brennan's handwriting that he had memorized and could recognize if someone had maced him.

OK. It was written by Bones.

But why?

Obviously, there were things that Brennan had never told him before. Things that she was afraid would make people look at her in an unfavorable light. Although, nothing could ever make him look at Bones that way. Not even the fact that she had told him about a thousand times that she didn't believe in love... and then this!?

He was sure that reading it again would only make everything that happened more painful. She obviously didn't want to pursue this relationship. She gave him the wrong flight time then flew off to Brazil. When she comes back in August, things will be back to normal. Bickering, talking, laughing... but no sex. This was probably the best thing. Bones was a smart woman. Maybe she was right. It would just be way too messy. Look how out of sorts he was and Bones had just done what he knew she was going to do--fly away.

He took the letter into his hand. His eyes traced the words. They were hers, but he could tell from the overly-accurate execution that she was afraid when she wrote it.

_"I know you will read this letter. You have always been there for me and that's more than I can say about most of the people in my life. And I thank you for that. And for that reason and dozens more than I cannot even begin to understand, I have begun to believe that I love you. Bones"_

The letter wasn't addressed to Booth or anyone else. Maybe that was the defense mechanism she threw up when she wrote it. But it was fairly obvious who it was to and who it was from.

Either way, he was pretty sure how she'd react if she ever knew he had read it. It was written under duress. Adrenaline and a bunch of other chemical crap was causing her to go nuts and believe in the crazy concept of love. Etc. Etc. Etc.

It wasn't worth it to watch her walk--or fly--away again.

Booth folded the letter in half. Then he folded it again and again. And he set it on top of the garbage.

* * *

_This story and a load of others written by me are more conversational/dialoguesque (not that that's a word) in nature (they're meant to be imagined as if you're watching the show itself), but if you want one that's more descriptive, etc, by me, may I direct you to my list of stories... Between Sleep and Awake is one of my faves... A Boy from Philly is another. Thanks again for all of your responses! I appreciate your reviews, etc. :D  
_

_-Mama  
_


	23. Chapter 23

He had never had such a restless night of sleep. Not in all of his memory. Not when Parker had pneumonia. Not even after his mom went MIA. Not after the Gravedigger first made her grand appearance, not even after Perotta was hurt. There were a million memories there to keep him from drifting off to sleep, but not one of them kept him awake at night like knowing that he had screwed up his relationship with Brennan.

So, at five thirty in the morning, he was up and brewing coffee, waiting for Parker to get up so he could drop him off to go to church with Rebecca and the man of the hour, Barry. He tried to busy himself with the newspaper, tried to study the words that wormed their way around the page and finally turned on the television to watch the news. News Papers were really outmoded anyway.

Finally, Parker woke up, showered, and sat himself across from his dad, trying to tie a tie. Finally, he gave up. "Dad, this stupid tie isn't working."

Booth stood up and walked to his son. Parker stood and Booth tied it while he talked, "There's at trick to these things. It gets easier, though. But the good thing is, some day you can pretend not to know what you're doing and your wife will tie it for you." He winked.

Parker looked confused. Why would he pretend not to know how to tie it? Dad didn't make sense sometimes. "Dad, why can't I go to mass with you today?"

"I'm not going today. I've got work to do, buddy."

"With Bones?"

Booth shook his head. "Nah. Just doing some boring paper work at the FBI Building."

"Oh I remember," Parker said. He took the tie from his dad's hands and began to tie it. "Like this?"

"Remember what?"

"That Bones went on a plane somewhere. Did she go to China again?"

Booth laughed curiously. "Not this time. How did you know that Bones went on a plane?"

"She called when you were going poop yesterday."

"She did?"

"Uh-huh."

Rebecca knocked and opened the door. She walked into the entryway and smiled at Parker in his tie, hair combed. "Don't you look handsome?"

"Dad tied it for me."

"He did a good job. Go get your stuff, Parker."

Parker ran from the room, leaving his parents alone. "Running off to work on a Sunday?"

Booth put his jacket on. "Yeah, I got some stuff to do before everyone disappears for the summer."

"Well, you can take him to mass next week."

Parker ran out of his bedroom with a backpack strapped on. "OK, mom."

"See you later, Seeley."

"Wait, Parker," Booth said, stepping into the hallway. "What did Bones say when she called yesterday?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I wrote it down and put it by the phone."

Booth straightened. "Love you."

"Bye, dad."

Booth stood as still as he could until Rebecca and Parker were out of sight, then he ran into the living room and started shuffling through papers on the table by the phone. "C'mon... c'mon... where are you?" It was a frantic shuffle. After a few seconds, he began to feel as if it was useless and rested his palms on the table. As he rested there, his head bowed in momentary defeat, he spotted a piece of paper. He snatched it up and read it. "Shit."

He grabbed his keys and ran out of the room, flew down the stairs and jumped into his SUV. Somehow, he avoided half a dozen crashes as he wove through traffic to the airport.

"Sir, you can't park here," a man in a red vest yelled at Booth.

Booth flashed his badge. "FBI!"

The man put up his hands and let Booth run in.

At the ticket counter, Booth waited in line a little impatiently. At the front of the line, he talked to the ticket attendant. "I need a ticket out of here. First ticket to Brazil--any ticket."

"When would you like to fly out? We have a coach open June thirteenth... a first class open on the fifth..."

"Now."

The woman looked up. Gave him an incredulous look. "I don't think so, sir. That's why we have a little thing called 'Reservation'... might wanna think about that."

Booth flashed his FBI badge and slid it across the table to her.

"Oh, my God, there's not like a bomb or anything...?"

"I really can't discuss what the case entails. But I can assure you that there is no bomb."

"I can get you in on the next flight, but it leaves in twenty minutes."

"I'll take it."

"OK, let me print this out for you. One minute, Agent Booth."

While it was printing, Booth scanned the crowd, somewhat hopeful that he would spot his partner among the people. He didn't see her.

But he did see a security guard.

"Hey, buddy," Booth stopped him. He gave him his keys and showed him his badge. "I'm gonna have an agent pick up my car," he pointed at it, "in like twenty minutes. Make sure it doesn't get scratched up and I'll give you a brownie point and postpone the ass-kicking."

"Agent Booth, here's your ticket. You should probably run so you don't miss the flight."

Booth grabbed the ticket and flashed a thankful smile at the woman. "Thanks."

She smiled back. "Good luck!"

Booth nodded and ran through the airport.

Twenty minutes later, he was in the sky, flying toward Orlando then on to Brazil after that.

Somewhere in the skies between DC and Orlando, Brennan was also on a flight, but headed in the opposite direction.

* * *

_Thank you all again!!! :D_

_I've had a few questions about where I get my spoilers... May I direct you to my blog: _http://www[dot]bonesspoilers[dot]blogspot[dot]com_  
_

_-Mama  
_


	24. Chapter 24

After the third knock and fourth door-bell ring, she took the spare key from beneath the fake rock and entered Booth's apartment. The first thing she noticed was that the kitchen light was still on. Breakfast was sitting on the table along with a cold cup of coffee. And Booth's tie was neatly laid over the back of a chair as if he was going to put it on, but never did.

"Booth?" Now she was doing it. Booth was obviously not there, but she couldn't help calling his name in hopes that he would answer. After a quick inspection of the apartment, Brennan turned and left.

Tired and positively run-down, Brennan walked to Booth's office. He wasn't at his house, so she found her way to the Hoover Building.

The elevator doors slid open and she had to practically drag herself off from the elevator. Immediately, she ran into Charlie Burns.

"Dr. Brennan," he greeted her with a big grin. "How's it hanging?"

"How's what hanging?"

He laughed. "How can I help you?"

"I'm just trying to find Booth." From the blank look Charlie gave her, she was prompted to ask, "He's here, isn't he?"

"No. I thought he was with you."

"Why would he be?"

"I picked up his car this morning at the airport. Confiscated some guy's cell phone--that's Booth, right?--He flew out to Brazil at ten this morning."

"You're joking, right?" At that point, Brennan wanted to break down. Forget her resolve. Cry, even. She hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours and now she couldn't even find Booth and he was probably half-way to Brazil by then.

"You aren't supposed to be in DC, are you?"

Brennan shook her head. The look on her face must have given away her disapointment. "Hey. Follow me, huh?" He took Brennan's bag and threw it over his shoulder, then led her down the hall to a small office. He sat at his computer and after a few clicks, he looked up and smiled at Brennan who had set herself on a nearby chair. "Here we go. He's about twenty minutes into a flight to Rio De Janeiro."

"How'd you find that so fast?" She stood up and walked around to Charlie's side.

"FBI," he smiled. "If you want, I can give you a ride to the airport."

"That would be nice, thank you." She smiled thankfully, tiredly.

"If we get you on a direct flight to Brasília, you might get in town about the same time his flight lands." He grabbed Brennan's bag and for a second, the tired scientist smiled at him with a genuine smile. And he realized something. No wonder Booth loved her. If he could just get one of those smiles in a lifetime, it was worth flying all over the globe for her.

An hour later, Charlie's SUV pulled in front of the airport.

"Hey, you can't park that here," the parking guard snapped.

Charlie flashed his ID.

"You FBI types think you can go parking anywhere you like... Parking whereever whenever. Not on my watch," he grumbled as the pair walked out of sight.

Brennan checked in and took her bag from Charlie. "Thank you for your help."

Charlie shrugged. "It was my pleasure."

Brennan began to walk away.

"Hey, Dr. Brennan," he said. Brennan turned. "I'm... I'm happy for you guys. I can tell that he really loves you."

Brennan gave Charlie another one of those smiles and waved with her three free fingers.

Charlie watched until she walked out of sight, then turned and walked in the opposite direction.

--

On his flight to Rio De Janeiro, Booth found himself squeezed amid a very large family. He was beginning to feel cheated that he didn't get a snoring old lady this time around... or a beautiful sleeping partner.

He hoped that Brennan didn't hate him. He hoped that she didn't think he had abandoned her. Somewhere in there, his pledge of friendship and partnership had become a pledge of love and devotion. When that shift occurred was impossible to say. Probably because it wasn't a true shift. It was more of a gentle transition. From friendship to a deep and immovable love. He would never be able to pinpoint that moment he fell in love with her. Because there was no singular moment. It just happened.

And now he was on a flight next to someone who hadn't spoken a word of English to find her, tell her he loved her, and ask her to love him back.

He closed his eyes and remembered the last time he was with her. He woke up. The sunlight was streaming in through the curtains, casting a lacy shadow across her face and bare back.

He leaned close and kissed her tenderly on the temple.

His dream state was interrupted by the rhythmic and annoying kicks of a ten year old boy who was sitting behind him. He restrained himself quite well. At any point, he could've turned around and threatened his life, but instead he closed his eyes and tried to remember what she smelled like... felt like... tasted like... sounded like.

The woman sitting next to Booth quickly unbuckled her seat belt, and turned around. She shot her son a death glare and rattled off in Portuguese, "Eu voltarei lá."

The kicking subsided immediately. The dark-eyed boy sulked.

The woman turned, sat, and smiled at Booth. "I'm very sorry."

Booth looked at the woman. He was surprised. It was the first English words he had heard since he got on the plane and sat next to this woman and her family. "No. No, it's OK."

"It isn't OK. It's extremely rude." She buckled herself back up and took the magazine from in front of her. She smiled again at Booth, trying to start a conversation a few times. Finally, "So, where are you headed?"

"Uh... Brazilia."

"Brasília," the woman corrected his harsh accent. "It's OK. Most Americans say it wrong. I'm actually from Brasília. Why are you going there? Business, I assume?" She looked at his suit.

Booth shook his head. "No. Not really."

"Pleasure, then?"

"I hope," he smiled uncomfortably.

"Oh." The woman said, then she smiled a tight, knowing smile.

"What?"

"She's a very lucky woman. Flying to Brazil to show her that you love her. Very romantic."

"Not romantic. Just doing what I have to do..."

"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height, My soul can reach..."

"Excuse me?"

"Elizabeth Barrett Browning. _Love Sonnets from the Portuguese_. It's just about one of the most well-known love poems--" She shifted and brought up a bag from beneath her seat. She pulled out a book and handed it to Booth. "I teach Creative Writing at Georgetown." She handed Booth the book, _Love Sonnets from the Portuguese._ "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways," she smiled. "Every woman loves poetry. Doesn't matter who they are, every woman wants to know that a man could love her enough to make him fly to a different country for her... Agent Booth." She winked. "You can keep that copy, by the way. I've got about a dozen in my office alone."

Booth laughed and flipped the book over. "Thanks... How'd you know...?"

"Let's just say that I have a passion for literature. Even the Dr. Brennans in this world melt when a man reads her a love poem--at least I do."

Booth held out his hand and offered it to the woman. "Now you know my name, but I don't know yours."

"Sonja Azevedo."

The two shook hands. About that time, Brennan was boarding her own flight to Brazil.

Star-Crossed Lovers Indeed.

* * *

_Thank you all so much! I'm glad you're all enjoying this story! The next chapter shall be full of FLUFF.  
_

_-Mama_

_PS: Love Sonnets from the Portuguese is simply fabulous.  
_


	25. Chapter 25

Angela hung up her cell phone. She smiled at it for a few seconds, then put it in her pocket.

"What's going on?" Hodgins asked. She and Hodgins were getting ready for bed. Their flight would leave in the morning. From the look on Angela's face, Hodgins could tell that something good had happened.

Angela took off her robe, revealing a tiny black teddy, then slid into bed next to her [new] boyfriend. "Booth flew to Brazil to get Brennan. And Brennan flew to DC to get Booth. She just landed in Brazil ten minutes ago."

"Wow..." Hodgins said. He digested the news for a second before replying, "That's hot."

"Cold shower hot," she agreed.

Hodgins shook his head adamantly, "No. That's roll-me-in-honey-and-throw-me-to-the-strippers hot."

Angela rolled her eyes and reached over Jack, pulling on the copper light room immediately grew dim. "Good night, Jack."

"You can't possibly expect me to restrain myself under these conditions," he said, tackling her to the bed and kissing her deeply, affectionately, lovingly.

--

By the time Booth arrived in Brasília, it almost one in the morning. The temperature was barely above sixty-five and a light rain had begun to fall. The poor guy was suddenly immersed in a foreign culture where everyone was speaking in Portuguese and he had only learned one word up until that point: No.

For a moment, he began to wonder what in the world he was doing half-a-world away from his comfort zone looking for a woman that could be anywhere in the city.

Maybe he should forget about 'surprising' Brennan, piece together the shattered remains of his POS cell phone, and give her a call asking for directions?

"That sounds romantic," he told himself sarcastically. "Hey, Bones, I'm here to tell you I love you. Could you give me directions to your hotel?"

"Need help?"

Booth turned to see Sonja standing behind him. She stood at least a head shorter than him.

"Yeah, I don't exactly speak Portuguese and I have no idea where I'm going."

She tipped her head toward the street. "You can share the taxi fee and I'm sure we can get you to the police station or morgue or something."

"I think this is the first time I've ever wanted to be at a morgue at one in the morning."

"That makes two of us." She looked Booth over. "Got any bags?"

"Just me and my suit. Didn't even stop to grab a tie."

"You must really love her."

"You have no idea."

--

She was out of her element. She had to think like Booth. Where would he be at one in the morning at a strange city? If he knew the name of her hotel, she'd have bet on that. But he didn't.

She laid out her bag in the hotel room and took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. She had thankfully gotten some sleep on the plane over and had changed into a black cotton dress. She thought twice about showering, but decided against it. There was no guarantee that she would find him anyway. In a city of two and a half million people, he could be anywhere.

She locked the door behind her and hailed a cab to the morgue.

The doors were locked, as she expected, but she could see a light moving around inside. She knocked lightly on the door and after a minute, a man came to the door. He gave her a curious look. "How can I help you?"

Brennan explained the reason of her visit.

"An American man was here about fifteen minutes ago. I don't speak English, but from what I understood, he was looking for an _antropólogo._ I directed him to the Torre Palace. That's where the City of Brasília is keeping Dr. Edison."

"Obrigada." Brennan was running down the steps before the man could mutter a, "De nada," in reply.

--

"Thanks," Booth said to the woman at the front counter. He walked out of the hotel, feeling like no matter where he turned, the world was against him in some form or another. He looked at his watch. It was almost two and his morale as well as his energy was running dry.

He stepped out from beneath the overhang and waved for a taxi. The rain was coming down thicker by that time and he was really beginning to wish that he had had the sense to at least grab a change of clothing. At the time, he didn't exactly think that was important.

--

She jogged regularly. It was a release. She began to jog more often around that second year that she and Booth were partnered... and there was an obvious reason for that.

Now, she found herself running, shoes in one hand, bare feet on cold pavement, rain soaking everything she wore. She was about half a block from the hotel. The cabbie had been beyond exemplary in his inability to get her to the hotel in a timely fashion. So, she paid him and ran the last two blocks.

Through the thick sheets of rain, she could see a familiar shape. It's amazing how every curve, hillock and valley of her partner's body was etched into her memory. Even when he looked like a drowned animal in a wet suit and all fine detail was blurred by the dark night, the bright street lights, and the gray rain, he looked like the man she was searching for all along.

She slowed. Then stopped.

--

Booth reached for the cab's door and swung it open. He moved to sit inside of the taxi, but his eyes fell on Brennan. Although she could look like just about any woman, being that she was half a block from him and she she looked like a fuzzy silhouette, he knew her. He knew her because he loved her. He knew her because he saw her in his dreams as well as the waking hours of the day. He knew her because she was his other half.

He closed the taxi door and the two began to walk toward one another--half in surprise, half in uncertainty.

When she came into focus, he could agree on one thing and one thing only. She was stunning.

The dark dress she wore was clinging to her legs and stomach. Goosebumps were raised in all of the right places. Her hair, which was black and silky when wet, clung to her neck, cheeks, and the nape of her neck.

--

She walked toward him. She stopped a few feet off. It couldn't be him. Although all logical thought pointed to the fact that he was a flesh-and-blood human being, he looked like he had stepped out of her most erotic dreams. His white shirt was unbuttoned for the first three buttons, revealing soft chest hair. The sleeves were rolled up below his elbows. The moisture from the rain made the cotton cling to his tight chest and abs.

And his eyes were full of this amazing love that even _she_ could not deny or play naive to.

But there were still some unanswered questions.

"Why didn't you see me off?"

"I didn't get the note... Why didn't you tell me that you loved me?"

"What?"

"I saw the note you wrote when you were buried in the car." He could hear his heart beating in his ears.

So could she. "How did you get a hold of that letter?"

He side-stepped her question and moved toward her. He invaded her space. She could feel his heat radiating and all she wanted to do was wrap her body around him. But she couldn't help but to try to rationalize everything that was happening. It's how she dealt.

He reached around and pulled her close with his left hand, his hot hand laying against the bare skin of her back. She couldn't help but to try to catch her breath. His touch had that effect on her, making her lung capacity drastically smaller with simple caresses--touching her hand, running his fingers along her arm, up her neck, releasing wet wisps and curls from her neck, brushing her lips.

"You drive me crazy, Bones," he whispered, smiling slyly. "You argue with me. You make me angry. You frustrate me. You make me think twice before speaking. You make me wanna fly across the world for you. And I love you for it."

"That doesn't--That doesn't make any sense," she looked up at him. Her eyes cut through the darkness.

"Yeah, it does. You challenge me. You make me a better man... I love you." With that, he pulled her closer and kissed her deeply.

She let her body meld against his. The cool rain didn't make her shiver as much as him holding her so close and whispering that he loved her.

Although ten minutes had passed between that passionate kiss in the rainfall, it only felt like a few seconds before they were stumbling into her room, removing garments of clothing slowly and falling into bed on top of one another, pulling the thick quilt around themselves. The only sounds to be heard for the next two hours were the sounds of the downpour slowing to a drizzle, tinkling against the table on the balcony, and the sounds of love-making--The occasional sighs of pleasure, whispers of love or beauty, his lips against her satiny skin, feathery kisses to her navel, neck and lips.

And everything stopped. The rain ceased to fall and the lovers laid entangled in one another, exhausted physically, emotionally--in every facet possible.

His breathing became rhythmic and shallow, but for several minutes after he had fallen asleep, Brennan was still awake, her cheek on the bulky rise of his bicep. She had always been the type of woman who was proud of the fact that she was a strong individual and woman. But if that was so, how was it that she felt more complete and stronger when she was nude and laying next to a sleeping Seeley Booth?

Perhaps she was over-thinking, over-analyzing too much?

Perhaps...

"I love you," she whispered. Then closed her eyes and fell asleep.

His lips tipped into a smile.

* * *

_Thank you all again! :D_

_-Mama  
_


	26. Chapter 26

The sun rose in all parts of the world.

In a small hotel room, white linen drapes flitted in a morning breeze and drew goosebumps from Brennan's skin. Only a corner of the quilt partially covered her. When Booth woke,it took a moment of reflection before he began to believe that what he saw in front of him--his partner laying next to him, her pale skin exposed, dark waves of tresses curling over her bare arm and over her back.

He moved slowly so as to not disturb her, then placed feather-light kisses on that bare shoulder. Then another on her cheek.

She breathed deeply, then opened her eyes. And smiled.

"Morning."

She lifted herself onto her elbows and tussled her hair with her finger tips. Then she smiled at him.

He smiled back.

And for a while, that's all that happened. Smiling.

Then he leaned close and kissed her lips.

"You want the shower first?" He kissed her again. "Or we could share."

She pushed him roughly onto his back, then kissed him again. "Share."

He groaned and pulled her against him firmly, pinning her to the mattress, "I hoped you'd say that."

--

Sweets exited his office. He had no real plans for the break. Nothing particularly special. Just establishing a rapport with his newest clients and working on his research. Since he and Daisy had called it quits, all plans to spend the weekend at the beach had been postponed indefinitely, causing him to face a summer of all work and no play. A fate, which he had called, wicked harsh.

He swept up his files in his hands and began to thumb through them as he exited his office. His thoughts were completely engrossed in his notes when he ran straight into a tall brunette agent in a slick suit.

The papers slipped to the ground and went in all directions.

"Wow. I'm totally sorry," Sweets muttered, bending down and gathering the papers.

The agent stooped, too, and Sweets finally took the time to give the person eye contact to apologize again.

As his eyes swept past scattered papers, they traveled up panty-hosed legs, a short gray skirt, deep cleavage, and finally to two large green eyes framed in long lashes and smart frames.

"I--I--" Sweets let the oxygen hit his brain. "Wow."

The agent smiled and stood. He stood, too, hoping all along he didn't look as stupid as he felt. He felt like it was high school all over again. Tongue-tieed over a beautiful woman.

Wait a second. He wasn't a kid any more!

"I'm Lance... or Dr. Sweets, if you like. But I prefer Lance in social situations."

"Lauren," she replied, smiling. "Or Agent Phillips."

Sweets didn't reply. It would have been awkward if she wasn't smiling at him as she was.

"Well, I'll see you around, Lance." She smiled and walked to the elevator. She stood there, watching him straighten the papers for a few seconds. She cleared her throat. "Uh--I'm just about to go out to lunch--I just transfered, so I don't know any good places--"

"Uh, I know this great diner. They make some really good pie."

She smiled. "OK, then. It's a date."

Minutes later, the two were laughing over pie at the Royal Diner and were talking about Star Wars, .38s, karate and just about anything that came to mind.

--

"This one!" Michelle announced, then grabbed Cam's hand and the two women ran in the Saks 5th Avenue, each carrying three or four bags with glossy store names scrolled across them. "Oh, my gosh! Look at this! Isn't it cute?" Michelle pulled a black and white dress over her torso and modeled it dramatically.

"Work it. Work it, girlfriend," Cam laughed.

"You should get this one."

"I thought you liked it."

"I don't exactly have the--" she made a gesture over her breasts, "you know--to fill it out. Nothing ever looks as good on me as it does on the rack."

"Don't you ever think that, Michelle. You have a beautiful body. And one day, you'll have so much extra flesh that you'll wish to God you still had that tight little sixteen year old body. You're beautiful. Why don't you go try it on?"

Michelle thought it over for a minute. "Well, maybe I can get some of those silicone plastic boobs and stuff them in there."

"Go put it on before I change my mind and drag you to a Walmart. Do I look like I'm joking?"

Michelle rolled her eyes, smiled, and walked off to the dressing room.

The attendant walked up to Michelle, "Let me unlock the dressing room for you."

"Thanks." Michelle ran her hand over the dress in her hands and looked back at Cam who was walking toward her with a few more dresses in her arms and was looking down at the sizes.

The attendant smiled at Michelle when she had finished unlocking it. "You're lucky, you know. My mom would've never gone shopping with me. She was such a tom boy--"

"Oh, she's not--" Michelle stopped mid-sentence. "She's not the lucky one, I am." She looked back at Cam before adding, "My mom's pretty awesome, so..." She muttered her thanks and slipped into the dressing room.

Cam stopped in her tracks and looked up from the labels just Michelle disappeared into the dressing room. She had to blink away tears and clear her throat before asking, "How does that fit, Michelle?" through the dressing room door.

--

On a beach in Martha's Vineyard, a campfire sparked and sizzled on a sandy dune. The two were huddled close together under a patchy sea-colored quilt.

"Warm enough?" Hodgins asked, looking at the woman who was cuddled beneath his arm.

"Yes." Angela smiled up at him.

"How 'bout now?" He pulled some of the quilt off from her.

"Hodgins!" She struggled to pull the quilt back over her exposed arm.

"Sorry, babe, but the quilt literally has my name on it."

With all of her strength, Angela wrestled the blanket from him and took off down the beach on bare feet.

He was quick to take her down into the sand where he began to kiss her, taking in every curve of her neck with his lips and tongue.

"Get off," she said to him between kisses and laughter.

"No way."

"I'm gonna get sand wedged in my nether regions."

He laughed, "Then I'll just have to help you remove said sand."

Angela eyed him, then wrapped the quilt around his shoulders, covering them and muffling their laughter.

--

South of the equator, Brennan was standing on the patio, clothed in nothing but a white terry robe. From her vantage point, she watched as people walked around on the street below.

Booth walked into the room, wrapping a towel around his waist. He stopped, his breath stolen from his lungs, as he took in the sight of his partner with her hip against the balcony rail, her wet hair brushed neatly away from her face and falling over her shoulders, a hot mug of coffee in her hands.

He walked out and onto the patio and right up to her, freely, unrestrained and took the mug from her hands, then set it on the table. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him.

"You're so beautiful." He kissed her. "I love you, Bones."

It never felt so good to hear those words come out of his mouth. She couldn't help but to smile a radiant smile--one of those smiles that made him almost lose his grip on reality altogether. She clasped her hands behind his neck.

"I love you, too."

Without reservation, the two began to kiss, letting their lips touch, their tongues linger, their fingers explore. He slipped his hands beneath the robe and touched that tauntingly soft skin that beckoned to him so loudly. Somehow, they knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

And neither of them could have been more glad.

On the street below, a young Forensic Anthropologist hailed a taxi from the front doors of the hotel across the street from the groping, kissing, touching, fully-engrossed lovers.

A newlywed couple were standing on the sidewalk as he waved. The woman had her hand held up, shielding the sun from her eyes. They were both looking at the balcony.

The woman put her hand down and smiled at her husband, "I love this city. It's so romantic."

The man kissed his wife and then helped her into the cab.

Clark looked up, then shielded his eyes. At first he thought, "Nah." Then he squinted. And squinted harder. He dropped his hand with disgust and shook his head, "You have GOT to be kidding me! It's like they're following me!"

* * *

_The end._

_Thank you all for reading. I hope you all got a little entertainment, a little fluff, and a little intrigue. I appreciate all of your comments. _

_I felt like giving everyone a happy ending. Sadly, I couldn't really give Zack a happy ending (i.e. healing his hands and setting him free) but I think that's for a Zack-centered fic.  
_

_-Mama  
_


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